The Tiger and The Chocobo
by xxLivingPuppetxx234
Summary: Cloud/Tseng, Angeal/Zack, Genesis/Sephiroth, Reno/? Through Zack, Cloud has met the Head of the turks, and can't stop thinking about him. meanwhile Mentor and Student have fallen for one another, but niether one is aware of the other's feelings.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Come on, Cloud, you've got to meet this guy," unwilling, he was being pulled along down the long corridors of the SOLDIER Program Command Center as boots slammed against the metal floor, "This guy can help you out should you not make it into SOLDIER!"

Soft blue eyes rolled in his head as he fought to wrench his hand out of the speeding raven haired man's hand, "I _am _going to make it into SOLDIER, Zack, I think it's _you _that needs to talk this guy more then me if you don't keep up your work to make it to First Class. I've been talking to your Mentor and he says you need to buckle down and behave like someone who wants to be a First Class SOLDIER."

As quickly as the footsteps had started, the men's steps stopped as the raven haired man, whom had become known as Zackary "Zack" Fair, 2nd Class SOLDIER, dramatically clutched at his chest as he started to swoon away from his friend, "Oh…you cut me deep, Cloud…I don't think I can go on…"

"Come on," the blond pulled the man along, "If you do faint, I'm making sure they stick that new thermometer up where it doesn't shine to remind you to never fake being unconscious again."

"Well! Then come on!" Zack grabbed at his friend's hand again with utter enthusiasm as the man all but dragged the blond behind him, "You don't want to make a Turk wait on you!"

Turks, the lethal Security Guards from Hell, or so that's what the unfortunates that dared to cross these peoples paths had to say if they managed to live through any encounter with these men or even women. They had been gathered from various backgrounds, areas, and had been chosen due to their varying qualities because they had placed and set their sights higher then others and had proven themselves to be better then others. Among the ranks of the Turks, there were those who did not need to wield a weapon to deadly or lethal; just mere brains were enough to bring down an enemy. There the others that relied on the prowess of power and a slick slip of the tongue to get them out of any situation, from having to chase down an enemy to knocking them upside the head a few times. Flying helicopters was in the job description as well as being called out to do away with any and everything that President ShinRa asked of the men and women to do, regardless if whether or not it was immoral or not. Leave your morals and values at the door as well buried deep away once you were signed up to be among the role of Turk.

Tseng knew this to be the only way to survive.

Shortly after he had been entitled to the role of Head of the Turks, which placed him in a rank of High Security standing; he had the privilege of working close with President ShinRa as well as distributing those under his command to do what was asked from above. Patience, a virtue it was, but it was something that had to be maintained when waiting to speak to someone that had said it was a moment of urgency and it couldn't wait.

Whatever it was…

Someone better be dying.

A heavy sigh came from the olive colored man where upon his forehead, the dot on his head that was a sign of a man of his lineage from the forest woodland of Wutai, it was slowly starting to wrinkle as the man's brow began to knit together, "Fair has five more minutes, then I'm off to go off to serious busine---"

"TSENG! TSENG!" Zack's voice could be heard calling out over the room as the blond in tow of him was beginning to stumble over his feet, in which he did, "Oh Cloud, what am I going to do with you?"

"You could've just left me alone to study for the upcoming exam, because I can't afford to fail the exam because then I'll have you to _thank _for my drop in rank and pay for the month…"Cloud picked himself up as he started to dust himself off, "I'm sure my Mother will enjoy having to hear you were the cause of my drop in pay when she was looking forward to using it to buy some fresh herbs this month…"

Zack pouted as he helped his friend clean himself off, "It makes you feel any better, if you fail, and you drop a rank and pay this month, I'll get on my hands and knees in front of your Instructor's and beg and plead them to give you a second chance and tell them it was all my fault," the man started to grin to himself as he thumped his fisted thumb into his chest, "No one, no man or woman or Teacher can resist the charm of the Zack."

"But there are some of us that are immune to your brand of charm, 2nd Class SOLDIER, Zackary Fair," Tseng sighed to himself as he shook his head as he internally chuckled to himself as he watched Zack scurrying about, _Angeal is right…Zackary does behave like a Puppy, especially when it comes to a person of authority getting on him…_

"Yeah, but you're special, Tseng," Zack greeted the man with a smirking grin, "You're made of a wall of steel, anything that bounces off you, just bounces onto a person that deserves my charm because you're not good enough for me."

Cloud groaned as he ran his hands down his face, "Zack, just tell me why we're over here and speaking to _him._"

"Him?" Tseng was taken back by the Cadet's utter lack of appreciation for authority figures, "Cadet, do you have any idea who I am?"

"Just another flunky of ShinRa?" Cloud cockily remarked which made Zack nearly gag on the spit in his throat as he seemed to chuckle to himself, but Zack was going to have bail out his little buddy, "Aren't I right?"

Zack clasped a hand over Cloud's mouth as he pulled him away, slowly, "Give me two minutes with him," the man lightly shoved the blond, "You idiot! He's a Turk! He could kill you with just a plastic fork from the Cafeteria! In fact, he's the Head of the Turks! ShinRa Security!"

Cloud about paled as he turned to address the man again, but, like the utter klutz he had grown to be since his time since joining the Cadet Program to enter into SOLDIER, he tripped over his feet, landing face first into Tseng's feet, "I-I'm so sorry about that…" he was preparing to pick himself up and apologize like a kicked puppy, but, "…S-Sir?"

Tseng helped the blond up, but there was something keeping on the floor, as he kneeled down to help the man up; his eyes had taken on a hue that no one had seen before aside from the occasional moment he would pass the President's son in passing. No one had made him earn that gaze and wonderment besides the President's son, why was Cloud any different? Those soft baby blue eyes, soft and innocent youthful face with a glow that was illuminated by the hued lights up over his head and the sweat that was beading on his face from the race of Zack pulling him along. It drew him in a light that caused Tseng to clear his throat, clearing out the haze of pure, unadulterated interest the blond had drawn him into; he couldn't think of this young man like that.

Or could he?

"Hey, Tseng, you two alright down there?" Zack tilted his head about as he stood with his hands on hips, watching as his youthful young friend nibbling at his lower lip and hiding his face behind the high collar of his uniform, but it caught him unawares as he felt his friend's hand working into his own, "Cloud?"

"Let's just go, Zack, I'm sure Tseng has other things to do besides humor a couple of bored teenagers…"Cloud had started to take the lead of the run away from the office end of the Compound, but only after bowing at the waist appreciatively to Tseng, "Sorry for taking your time, Sir…and I apologize for my earlier remarks."

Zack was taken back by the blonde's speed as he quickly waved his farewell to Tseng, "See you around, Tseng!"

Zack was still laughing as Cloud came around a corner with the laughing man as Cloud leaned up against the wall in hopes to catch his breath from the embarrassment he had endured in front of a Superior and a Turk nonetheless. Dishonoring a Turk was like walking up to General Sephiroth himself and telling him that he must have a large sword in his pants because he was a very tall and pretty man. What had all that been about? Why was he blushing even still after leaving in a rush from the Turk, the _Head _of the Turks? After that mistreatment of conduct as well as mockery of someone of rank that could have Cloud knocked out of the Cadet Program in a heartbeat was not going to be able to be lived down if Zack had anything to say about it.

"Man Cloud, dude; that was too priceless! You should've seen your face after you came up and saw that you were talking to the Head of the Turks," Zack was trying to catch up his breath, but that wasn't happening at the moment or none too soon as he pointed at Cloud's still blushing face, "_That's _the exact face!"

Zack's laughter was carrying out like a hyena had been released into the Compound, but Cloud couldn't help it; Tseng was a man with some feminine like features. Wutai men were regarded for their features and it helped them for the theatre they performed in; not too many women performed in the Wutai Theatre Company where plays of men dressed and painted as women came out on stage and performed in place the women. Women were none too highly regarded for the stage which left many of them in the position to have to dress and be painted down as men, but Tseng rivaled all of them; he had a simple glow about his face and that dot like mark on his forehead just added something to his face. Even his lips were feminine in design, they weren't full and pouty like a man's, and they weren't thin and drawn together like a woman's; they were just, perfect. Full, thin, and drawn together in a perfect design that if he had the urge to or even the desire to; Cloud could've taken the chance to at least attempt to break the barrier lying there on those lips. It would've been possible if he hadn't had a laughing hyena for a friend at his back.

"…It wasn't that funny, Zack," Cloud turned to pouting as the dusty color of the blush started to turn into a blush of embarrassment; he just wanted to forgot all about it, "Seriously, you can stop chortling like a tickled pink Chocobo."

That just sent Zack off into louder thralls of laughter.

But thank the Gods for Mentors that were looking for their wayward Puppy, "Zackary Fair, 2nd Class SOLDIER, Zackary Fair, please report, front and center to the attention of 1st Class SOLDIER, Angeal Hewley, your _Mentor_, this instant," from behind the chortling on the floor man was a man that could've doubled as Zack's father, aside from the way the man appeared over Zack.

"Y-Yes, sir, Yes, in just a minute sir," Zack was still chortling by the time Angeal had managed to make it to the man in which he grabbed at the scruff of Zack's uniform top, leaving the man to yelp like the trademark Puppy nickname he had been given by Angeal, "H-Hey! I was coming! Stop manhandling me in front of the Cadet! A-Angeal! Put me down, I can walk!"

"Don't you have a Class to be getting to, Cadet?" Angeal gave Cloud a weary gaze as he saw that Cloud was quieter then usual after a typical day with Zack, but Cloud seemed to spring to attention at the sound of Angeal's voice, "I asked you a question, Cadet."

Cloud quickly nodded his head as he started to stumble and tumble over his own feet as he gave Zack last final glance before running for class, the last place he wanted to be right now with the utter worry that his mind would stray. That wasn't going to be hard as he passed a figure he hadn't seen standing there till he found hands grabbing a hold of him. The only thing to do was to fight off the hands without drawing too much attention to himself, but when he heard a familiar voice whispering in his ear; he about lost it and started punishing the hands holding him.

"Damn it, Reno! You know I hate it when you grab me out of the blue, especially since you know that you could get busted for being down here instead up at your end of the World," Cloud was beet red and furious; Reno no last name was about the only other friend he had that had no other hidden intentions of why they were friends with him.

Reno was the big mouthed pilot and just as big mouthed muscle alongside his partner in crime, Rude and Reno tended to get away with a few things here and there, aside from breaking a few girls hearts when he told them that his job came first and all others would have to wait till he was allowed to retire. All Reno wanted out of life was to make sure his friends met their self created goals and without facing the absolute reality that on that road to facing their greedy goals was that they were going to end up dead eventually. Cloud had taken his attention shortly after his entrance into the Program for Cadets that wanted to become SOLDIERS, especially after he saw the blond being roughed up by some older boys. Their intentions of just "playing" with him were less then innocent as he saw how their hands were straying to places that they shouldn't have been touching and Cloud was making it known he wanted them to stop. Reno's eyes had been watching to see if the blond would fight them off; it started to turn bad as the boys all but had Cloud pinned against a wall, but before Reno could step forward, one of the boys had screamed out_ "The little bastard just bit me! Little piece of sh--!"_

The teen didn't have another change to scream out the rest of his words as the cracking sound of a nose breaking made the others start to scatter as Cloud lunged at them and started clawing at their eyes and faces. No one dared touch Cloud after that. Cloud had learned quickly enough when he had been living in his hometown of Niblehiem that the only one to get out alive, even if you weren't capable of making it into ShinRa's Cadet Program for possible or future SOLDIERS, was to be able to kick back at those who attempt to harm you. Cloud's act of self preservation against boys that would've dragged him away into a dark corner and done the unspeakable to the boy had sparked an interest charge in Reno's head. Eventually, he had managed to befriend the young man, after being loped in with Zackary "Zack" Fair, and had become a close friend to Cloud, but he enjoyed screwing with the kid. Reno called it, keeping Cloud on his toes in case someone tried to pull the same stunt from the time before and Reno had become a study partner for Cloud. Cloud's class work and classes were similar to what Reno had taken when he had thought of doing SOLDIER as well, but he was later picked up for being a Turk after he cracked half a squad's nose with just the butt end of his practice rifle during target practice.

"Come on, Cloud, I was just playing around," Reno let go of his young friend as he placed his arms around the boy's shoulders, "Why you so uptight lately? Someone trying to get in your pants like the time I found you when you came here?"

Cloud started to blush as they made their way down the Hall towards Cloud's class, "It's nothing…I just had a rough morning, no thanks to a particular Puppy nearly getting me in trouble with the head of the Turks, since I mistook him as being just another flunky…"

Reno stopped Cloud there, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop right there, you mouthed off to the Head of the Turks, _the _Head of the Turks?"

"Need I repeat myself?" Cloud shook off his friend's shoulders as he watched Reno starting to pale, "What? What is it?"

"Let's just say, you just mouthed off to my Boss," Reno chuckled to himself as he watched Cloud pale, he was a pale as a white sheet, "Oh come on, Tseng is already tight enough as it is and he needs someone to take him down a few pegs at times, even if it's from someone like you."

Cloud shook his head, "No, that wasn't right of me and I already apologized for talking him like that…"

"Cloud, if you don't knock someone down a few pegs now and again, you're never going to be able to stand up for yourself," Reno ruffled his friend's hair gently as he heard the sound of the warning bell for those that were on their way to classes, they were best to hurry it up before they were late, "Go on, get out of here and go to class; I'll be by your room later to help you out with your homework and studying."

"Sure," Cloud seemed to show Reno the only thing that only he as well as occasionally, Zack, could see, a smile, "See you later, Reno."

When Angeal took to manhandling Zack, Zack knew that it meant one of a thousand other things; he had screwed up, screwed up a simple task that even a Chocobo probably could've done if trained to do so, or just plain Zack being Zack and Angeal needed to straighten it out. Now, Zack would never admit or blab under threat of torture or under torture that he didn't fear Angeal and his tactics of handling the young student. But in a sense, Zack was the one that was asking for it; if Zack hadn't become a masochist or even glutton for punishment in the time of being within SOLDIER, then there was something seriously amidst with the picture. Then there was one other thing he would never admit that he had liking for his Mentor as more then just a Student/Teacher relationship; he love and adored Angeal, but beyond that, _way _beyond that. He liked how his Mentor would comfort him when he was feeling down about missing his Mom and his hometown little village of Gongaga. It felt like having his Momma there, but it had a different twist on it; he could smell a certain aroma from Angeal when the man was willing to show a side no one, but him, got to see.

Angeal could be harsh, but fair, but it was all and only for Zack.

Even the mere thought of imagining those times when he got to see it would send a rosy blush crossing Zack's face. What was this feeling and why was Angeal placing him down on all two feet and…

Zack was taken back by the momentary lapse of change in the air as it might have been rubbed off as, but did that air have to include the smell of Angeal's minty toothpaste against his lips? As well as his tongue, oh Gods, what was all of this?

"…A-Angeal?" Zack was like a blushing school girl as he watched his Mentor pulling away with spittle against his lips, his own since Zack was tight lipped through all the man had been attempting, "…I love you too, Angeal, but what was that?"

Angeal Hewley, 1st Class SOLDIER of ShinRa's SOLDIER and Mentor, more like baby sitter as he had resigned to being when he took on the position of being Zack's Mentor a few years back. The man was highly accomplished SOLDIER that had worked alongside the other two known First Class SOLDIERS within ShinRa; killed countless of enemies, survived countless numbers of missions that would've killed any other mortal man and now, his own mission was making sure his Student just survived. And at least make it to his goal of First Class if Zack didn't manage to find himself being running through by the General's sword, Masamune. Even in the years he had gotten to know the boy; he had developed a slight crush for the boy, but he couldn't quite come out and blab that he wanted to be with the boy forever. Even if that wasn't possible. Zack had seemed like a naïve young man that would never realize that someone was interested in him and he had seen Zack eyed his young friend, the Cadet, Cloud Strife. It made telling his young student his interest in him without Zack breaking his heart because he didn't want to break the boy's heart by telling him that the General had his eyes on the blond. When he had come on his student this afternoon, he had found him embarrassing the one he seemed to have interest in by laughing at the fact the boy was almost as red as a Fire Materia.

But his laughter was a simple song that seemed to fill Angeal's ears and had been the way to find the young Pup, but now the Pup was staring at him with a look of curiosity; that's what made him so innocent and yet, open for other things, "…It shut you up, didn't it?" Angeal softly chuckled as he ran his gloved fingers through the boy's raven mane of hair, "It's kind of hard to talk to you and get your attention on what I'm going to do for punishment for embarrassing Cloud, yet again, when you're going a million miles per hour."

"And you figured kissing me would solve it?" Zack was blushing now and was growing as red as Cloud; it was absolutely adorable and it was taking all of Angeal's will to not push the young man into the wall and kiss him again, "You could've just thumped me upside the head and told me to 'Shut up' or something…"

Here it came.

The pout.

Not the infamous pout.

_Please don't do that to me…It's taking all I have to not jump you right here, and now._

Angeal sighed to himself, "Forget about it…" it seemed that the tactic of just being forward like he had been was not the best tactic in the world, "Be at Lazard's office in ten minutes; we've got word that there is a possible mission."

"Angeal…?" Zack tilted his head as he watched the dejected man walking off, _was it something I said?_

Cloud had made it to class without time to spare as he scrambled into his seat, thankfully he sat at the far back of the classroom and his Teacher wasn't paying attention to the fact he had walked in late. His Teacher seemed more preoccupied with finding his notes for today's lecture and harassing some other students up in the front that seemed to be making trouble for the Teacher with no end in sight. Thank the Gods for the Classroom Troublemakers; there are usually a few or half dozen of them in every classroom. Cloud knew that such people existed because he used to sit within a few inches to feet of these people going to school in Niblehiem and _he _was usually the victim of their troublemaking when the Teacher had all but learned the ins and outs of their behavior. Thankfully, they gave him enough time to scurry into his seat and pull out his notepad for writing down notes, but it had been all for nothing.

"Heh, since your fellow classmates have made use of their own time for the start of the class time to all but destroy my Notes; we're going to review what we went over last class," the Teacher called out as an anonymous series of groans and moans erupted from the congregation while the Teacher's Pets, as few as they were, inwardly cheered to themselves.

Cloud saw it as a chance to just doze off.

He was already doing more then great in class and he had but written down every single word the Teacher had spoken in their last meeting, almost down to the very last little bit of dialogue of him reprimanding the troublemakers of the class. Sleep or at least a nap; that sounded nice and was the direction he was headed in as he laid his head down to rest. Working ahead on the homework seemed like a more appropriate idea, but his eyes were telling him that he could do that when he got to his bunk, rest now.

How he wished he hadn't succumbed to those thoughts.

In sleep he could dream, his dreams lead him back to times of being just a simple country boy in the mountain hills of Niblehiem, running through the woods; either out of trying to escape from the bullies from being even a little kid to just running through them for the fun of it. Swimming in the small lakes that were nearby, picking at berries and the occasional flower that caught his attention for Momma; she would smile so sweetly to him when he would bring her flowers. Joyous summers of watching fireflies that some of the older adults claimed were more or less parts of the Lifestream just floating up to cast a glow over the Planet since ShinRa was slowly starting to use the power of it to make Mako that was powering the inner cities. But there were times, his dreams would drift off to parts unknown and that's what it seemed to be doing.

A little version of himself had taken to wandering through the woods this time, chuckling and laughing to himself, but sounds were making him scared as the little boy started to run for the house, but no matter way he turned. Every way lead him back towards the sounds; he tumbled over his own feet and the uprooted root of a big tree as the little Cloud fell on his face. Sounds were growing closer as he managed to rub the dirt from his tear filled eyes with one hand as he looked up to find someone that looked like him kissing someone. It was hard to make out who the man was that he was kissing, but as it seemed they had been part of the scenery, the men shifted so that the little Cloud saw who it was.

_Tseng?_

_Why am I dreaming of him again and why…_

…_Why am I kissing him and…_

"Hey blondie, you going to keep dozing off here in class or you plan on going off to your bunk to do that?" Reno was leaning over the blond as he softly shook his friend, and if it had been for his fast reflexes; he wouldn't have seen him nearly decking him a good one in the chin.

"You okay there, kid?"

Cloud shook his head, "…I don't know anymore, Reno, but I think…I might have feelings towards Tseng…"

* * *

Authoress note: this is a collaboration with Kitsunefan203. she is amazing fun to work with and a really great author. check her out for yourself! just make sure you're sitting, or you might fall over at the sight of her awesomeness.


	2. sleepy

Chapter 2

Confessions, they are words that we tell to someone we have been watching from a far after we have gained the courage to approach the man or woman of our fantasies and crush we have had on them. They can be fairy tale endings that the other of our interest takes our confession and accepts it as well as us, but then there are the times that the receiving party isn't acceptable to the confession. Cloud's confession was not met with any of these since he had not approached the man that had sent his mind on a tailspin of whirlwind madness that was warping his very thoughts. But the fear of several things happening, should he ever face up to Tseng with his confession was hanging on his mind. It was hanging like a kitten that was clawing onto a bough of a tree in hopes to not fall as he walked back towards his room with Reno escorting him out of the classroom. Class had gotten out just shortly before Cloud's awakening state from the odd sorts of all dream by Reno; it was embarrassing to be thinking that he was instantly infatuated with the Head of the Turks. Reno was a simple shoulder for his young friend to lean on as he listened to Cloud repeat all that had been in his dream even to the simplest part of the utter fear he could see on the dream side of his younger self of him.

"…Do you think I'm sick, Reno?" Cloud mumbled against his friend's shoulder as the duo stood in the elevator to deliver the blond to his room, "Do you think I'm some freak for being, possibly, in love with another man?"

When there was no answer but the dinging of the elevator letting them know that they had made it to Cloud's floor, "Reno?"

"Evening gentlemen," a gruff, sultry like voice broke through Cloud's worried haze as he saw that Reno was standing nearby, giving his own version of a salute to the man that had crossed their path, "Evening Reno, and…I didn't catch your name, Cadet?"

Cloud seemed to clam up as he fumbled about trying to make haste at saluting at the higher up; he felt like he would die right and there for not showing his proper respect, "C-Cloud, Cadet Strife, General sir," he managed to stutter out his name and rank as Reno stood nearby to catch the blond whenever he planned to faint from sheer embarrassment.

"This is my friend, Cadet Cloud Strife, a promising young upstart might I say myself, General Sephiroth; he's got the grades to put most of the guys in his rank to shame, even if he's merely a Rank D," Reno elbowed his friendly gently, winking as well as he watched the General start to eye Cloud up and down, "What you think, General? I now that Angeal has Zack as a student to Mentor, think you'd be up to mentoring some as quiet and well behaved at Cadet Strife?"

"…Reno," Cloud drawled out as he started to blush; unawares of the General's wandering gaze over his body, especially his face, "You don't have the authority to hand me off like some prize to be won."

With that said, Cloud decided it best to salute the General in a show of proper respect and leave before Reno further embarrassed; he had had enough embarrassment to last him the rest of the week. Reno was left in a stupefied stance as he watched the General's eyes stay on Cloud; he knew that look, when the General saw something or someone he liked, he kept his gaze locked on it and didn't let up.

As if reading the General's mind, "General, I don't know what's going through that mind of yours, but Strife isn't really one for going for someone as high as you, because it seems someone else might have him running for the nearest, 'I Don't Want To Feel That Way About You' bunker."

"In simple terms, Turk," Sephiroth seemed to grumble as he caught on his internal radar that someone was behind him, "I don't understand your slum dialectic and slang."

"Simply putting it, General, Strife has kind of slightly developed a crush that he's unsure of on the Wutian Tiger himself, Tseng, but I have a feeling Fair might have his interest claws in the boy as well, sorry General," Reno shrugged his shoulders as he passed by the General, "I'm sure you'll find someone."

_I'm sure you'll find someone_

That was just it.

He didn't want just anyone.

Everyone else who had all but thrown themselves at the General all had alternative motives; even he knew that, glory hounds was all they were and the bragging rights to show him off to their friends. He was as Cloud had said, _'not a prize to be won' _and that was how it was going to stay if he had anything to say about it, but from the sounds of it that were approaching in on him…that _say _he had was going to be run over by a flittering and fluttering red auburn haired little mongoose slipping up close upon h him.

If that mongoose had any sense about him; he would back off now before this viper struck, "Will you take flight? Will you flee from what comes upon wings of utter hopefulness that binds itself about you like these wings of mine that now bind around you?"

"Whatever your intentions are Genesis, keep them to your private thoughts; I'm still respected and highly admired by some of the crazy little fan boys in this place and if they knew I was being lustfully stalked to the point of nearly molested in the hall by a lovesick man…"Sephiroth chuckled to himself as he ran a gloved hand down the side of Genesis' face as it ran down to about his throat, stopping just short of his fingers grasping onto it and strangling the man, "…That I'm sure could be doing something more constructive then chasing about his favorite little tail…"

"Why General, I would never dream of it," Genesis' eyes closed in soft, lustful seduction as they slowly closed and opened, sending a cold and lusting shiver down the proud General's spine, "…Can I least get a kiss from my favorite tail before I have to go off and write up my report from my latest mission?"

A kiss was something the grand General could do, but Genesis no specified where to or how to be kissed as the General nestled his lips just short of the underside of the man's square jaw as his teeth locked in on the flesh of section of jaw line he had honed in on. Genesis all but full out purred at the sensation of the General's lapping tongue, soft lips and sharp canine like teeth locking on his jaw.

_Keep it together, Genesis, at least the man is willing to be openly affection; he was merely being baited along by that little blond with legs…Mnh…Once more, Sephiroth, just one more…make it match on the other side…_

As if hearing Genesis thoughts, Sephiroth slipped his other hand, while the other remained wrapped about the man's slender neck, around the man's waist, pulling him in flush against him. Genesis was slowly losing the battle and Sephiroth could see it in the way the man was holding his breath to not moan or at least gasp; ShinRa was still antsy on the topic of allowing men that were not chasing after women to be allowed as the norm. If Genesis had anything to say about it; he was going to make that change, but even if he was fighting off a gasp, Sephiroth was going to nip that in the bud as the waist wrapped arm slipped under the man's coat. The hand landing just short of the man's right cheek as Sephiroth's teeth viciously locked in on the fleshy part of flesh that was under the man's jaw. Going for broke as he ground his teeth on the flesh that at this point had to be painful to Genesis subconscious; it had to be screaming for the man to snap out of the lust haze the General had put him under and stop this assault on his face.

_Just shut up and enjoy it…this is truly…_

"…I've got to go, I've got my own Mission Report to write and then I've got an appointment with the Labs," Sephiroth softly purred, giving the bite one last lick, but as he began to run to the other one, Genesis was all but ready to take advantage of the man's generosity, "Next time…Next time I'll let you kiss me, I'm still courting you, when I figured you would've been the one to do this…"

Genesis gave a hurt grin as he pushed the General off, gently, running his hands over his body to straighten up, "Until the morrow brings the dawn that I so seek, I shall leave like the day's light and dip away for the night to slip forward and begin its intricate dance with the fading light."

Cloud was a proud student and most of his Teacher's appreciated and praised his Work Ethic; he was truly destined to at best make it to at least 3rd Class SOLDIER at best, but there was still the question about whether or not someone as frail looking as him could withstand the pressures. SOLDIER wasn't for everyone, but when the young blond set his mind on something; he was dead set on getting it, even if it killed him. SOLDIER was possibly going to be that one thing that did that to him, but at least he would go out in a blaze of glory that would spoken of at his funeral. That thought passed his tired thoughts every time he worked on yet another dreaded piece of homework; it all seemed like the same thing over and over.

That was when his mind tended to drift off.

His dreams varied from night to night, depending on how the day had gone; so far, they had gone from bad to worse and then just slipped into a place of utter of self confusion and questioning. He had never blushed like he had at such a gesture as the one that Tseng had given him that afternoon and all afternoon into the evening, he had been thinking about the olive colored skinned man. Sleep was hopeful to help wash those thoughts and images away, but as he hunkered down to rest for just a few moments before continuing the nearly finished homework; they returned. It was different from his usual dreams; his usual dreams were ones of home and his Momma and the town smelling of sweet smells just shortly after the Fall Harvest when everything sweet and edible was made. _Those smells were wafting into his dream as he seemed to smile in his sleep; it smelled heavenly, it was like honeysuckle and sweet mountain herbs. But, why was it coming from the pond at the back of his Momma's house? _

_But the scent was heavenly and intoxicating; he couldn't stop his feet from moving him forward towards the scent until he came upon the water's edge; that scent all but stopped there. Caution was being taken as he started to scour the perimeter of the pond and the closer he got to the far edge of the perimeter of the pond, the scent started to grow heavy. Then there it was; the sign that this was not an ordinary dream. Paw prints of a large animal were freshly marked into the wet ground near the water lilies of the little pond, but what animal could make such marks as this with a large pad and marks of retracted when it walked claw marks? Fear was overwhelming him as was the scent as his head began to feel dizzy as he stood up; he was expecting his footing to be lost and for him to feel the cold rush of the pond water, but it didn't come. His eyes gazed about he looked for the source of why he hadn't fallen in and it was found in the soft hazel eyes, which was out of the ordinary for the animal holding him away from the pond's edge, of a luminous white tiger. Its teeth were gently clutched to the front of his shirt and there were no signs of looming anger towards the boy or hint that the animal was intending to drag the boy into the woodlands and devour him. As quickly and quietly as its teeth had latched on to the boy's shirt; it let go, eyes looking towards the woodland fringes; it wanted to run, but at the same token. It wanted Cloud to follow him._

"_Do you want me to follow you?" Cloud asked of the animal, but all could do was flick about its ears and tail, but its eyes were locked on the young boy's face as it pounced on Cloud, "HE---!"_

_He was silenced by the feel of lips on his own, they weren't the furry ones of the massive tiger that had attacked him, but now, lying on him was a man, olive colored in skin tone and he was…_

"…_No one can help you, when you're a SOLDIER, there are times you must go about things alone…think of this as a Mission…and you're SOLDIER…time to divide and conquer…" the man's lips moved in closer but his lips were moving and making words as they moved in on Cloud's, "Wake up…Wake up…Hey, wake up…Come on, I'm taking you out…"_

"_What?" _

The voice that he was hearing was different from the sultry toned voice he heard in his dream; it was sounding like, "I said, 'Come on, I'm taking you out tonight, you need a break from the studying and homework grind', or were you still asleep?"

"Reno?" Cloud lifted his head up almost too quickly, sending his tired mind into a dizzy spin and nearly clocking his friend upside the chin, "H-How…How long have I been out?"

"I guess last couple of hours?" Reno shrugged as he started putting the boy's things away and made his way for Cloud's closet, "You okay there, bud?"

Cloud shook his head as he saw what time it was, "It's almost curfew; I can't be out pass curfew and you know that Reno, or do the rules of the Cadet to SOLDIER Program not matter to you, Reno?"

"You know, you've got to get some better threads then this old stuff you dragged with you from home," Reno took about throwing the ratty threads onto the boy's bed until he found a simple shirt and jeans, "Come on, kid, tonight is the night before the Promotion Ceremony and you've got to go out and have a little bit of bad fun before then at least or you're never going to experience life to its fullest."

"…I know; it's just…"

Reno stopped his rummaging as he saw that his friend was quieter then usual, "It's just, what, champ?"

"…I don't want to blow my chances to get into SOLDIER; it's all I've ever dreamed about since I was a little kid and…if I do something stupid that will forever ruin my chances of doing that…"

"Heh, kid…" Reno flopped down beside his friend as he wrapped his arm around Cloud's shoulders, "You've got to lighten up and enjoy life a little more! You're bringing me down…and I like to see you smile."

Cloud halfheartedly chuckled as he started to feel Reno trying to make him smile, "Come on, I know there's a smile in there somewhere."

"Reno…"Cloud started to chuckle as Reno's fingers prod harder and harder at his sides and ribs until he was nearly laughing, "Alright, alright, stop it, I'll go out tonight, but I've got to be back before dawn…I've got heavy training tomorrow."

"Alright then, well, get dressed and let's go have some fun!"

Go out and have fun, yes, but the after effects were Hell on Cloud as he wandered through the Halls towards the Training side of the Compound; each step was torture on his throbbing head, but it was made worse by the sight of Zack pouncing up behind him.

"Pop quiz! What would you do if I had a knife at your throat and was threatening to drag you off into the most remote area of the comp---ACK!" Zack was not expecting Cloud to turn all Pro SOLDIER on him this early in the morning, "Geez Cloud, what was all that about?"

Cloud glared at Zack through tired, blood shot eyes, "Reno is what it is all about…" once he had a chance; he held his head in his hands, " He suggested that I needed to go out last night and it lasted longer then I had figured it would and now I've got to go to Rifle Practice, half asleep…"

"Aww, I'm sorry little man," Zack gently ruffled his fingers through Cloud's hair, "If it makes you feel any better, I had it just as bad."

"What do you mean?"

Zack decided at that moment to clam up, "You don't want to hear about my screw up on my Mission last night as a FIRST CLASS FOR THE FIRST TIME!"

Cloud couldn't help laughing for his friend and feeling happy for him for the first time, "Oh really now?"

"Yep, but…Angeal had to bail me out last minute…" a sheepish grin crossed his face, but it turned into a look of utter guilt as he started to gaze Cloud toward his Training Room, "Come on, kiddo, don't need you being late for Training. Rifle Practice is the most important technique that is in the SOLDIERS arsenal, even if you are later saddled up with a sword."

Cloud peeked over Zack's shoulder as he saw why the sudden urgency had been there; the General was looking more frustrated then usual, but why? There was one reason for it, Genesis had attempted to get his kicks back in on the man after Sephiroth had marked the man's nearly flawed skin the night before and to get him back; he had attempted to molest the proud General. With less then great results since Genesis had begun to walk around the compound, looking like a kicked puppy that was denied its treat, but he had begun to busy himself with hiding out and reading more and more of the book that was always in his hands. In a way, Cloud felt for the General, not knowing how to help the man, but Zack was helping to divert that attention as he began his pop quiz game again. It was his way to keep Cloud on his toes so should he ever be questioned by one of his own Superiors, Cloud would be able to answer truthfully and have to somewhat of a foot in the door into SOLDIER. But it was also to divert Cloud from seeing the guilt written on Zack's face. After the near failed mission in Wutai, Zack had taken to drinking with the General and Angeal last night; Zack was known for being a blabber when he was drunk. And he may or may not have let it slip that it seemed his little blond friend had it in for Tseng, but the other two men had waved it off as the alcohol talking. If that was the case, then Sephiroth's declaration for the young blond and interest in him must have been the alcohol talking; Zack was feeling like he had kicked puppy as he saw Sephiroth walking through the halls.

"Night Cloud!" some of the students slurred off as Cloud swaggered into his bunk, Cloud was already halfway on his way to passing out on the closest cold surface, but he had to get to his bunk.

Being caught outside of his bunk after curfew, especially on the weekends and smelling of cheap alcohol was grounds for punishment; Cloud had spent a better part of the evening playing Saturday night poker with half his rank, and another thirty-or-so people drinking and smoking in the lounge to booming hip-hop music. He was sure to have a _major _headache the next morning.

"Sleep at last, thank Gaia," Cloud grumbled in a slurred speech as he fell onto his bed once inside his bunk.

Within a matter of a few minutes, Cloud was dreaming.

_He was in a dark room, with the only light about the dank and dark room had been coming and illuminating from a candle that had found its way into his hands. His eyes began to adjust to the darkness and the dimly form of the light coming from the candle in his hands; as they began to adjust, a pair of chestnut brown eyes that seemed to be glowing bright green seemed to illuminate from the edges of the room.  
"Cloud...I'm waiting...but…why do you stay so far away from me, come closer…" said the voice belonging to the owner of the eyes._

_As if by some strange magic or as if his body had been acting on its force of nature; he found himself mere inches away, nearly nose to nose with the owner of the voice and the piercing eyes, "I'm so lonely, Cloud. I know you can remedy that, the only one who can remedy it..." _the eyes' attention was drawn to a sound as they quickly gazed to the left as if they heard something before he did.

The sound of Cloud's alarm clock ringing, ringing the annoying sound that the dream was over and reality had set in, "…Its Saturday…Why can't I just sleep and not have these crazy dreams?"

By the time Monday morning rolled around, Cloud was half asleep and wearing heavy bags under his eyes which he had managed to hide from everyone; even Reno who seemed to have a reason to be escorting Cloud to class that morning. It was asked that all Turks, no matter their rank, attend at least one Materia class with the Cadet's to keep their skills up to par and to scout out possible and promising Turks among the classes. It was to be done without anyone else knowing to assure that the students did not try and overdo their own natural talents and skills just to show off and get someone hurt.

Reno took a gaze over to Cloud who seemed as if he was going to drift off in class again, "'Sup, spiky?" the man's hand gently ruffled his friend's hair, "You look like something the Moomba dragged in…"

"Late night, again, but this time with some of the guys of my Rank…" Cloud wanted his head to just drop to the desk and let him just sleep through this class; he was already familiar with all of the Materia that the Planet had created, "Must. Sleep."

"No, You. Must. Pay. Attention today," Reno chuckled as he kept his friends weary head up as the Teacher walked in.

The Teacher seemed a little more appeased today compared to how he had been last week as he walked up to the front of class, "Class, we have a guest today. Please make him feel welcome;" he paused as he turned to watch the Visitor walking, "Come in."


	3. silver&ruby can be scary

Chapter 3

The room hung heavy with curiosity as to who this visitor was; was it someone of high superiority, were they here to test them to figure out who had the skills to make it into either the Turks or SOLDIER? Tension hung in the air like stinky gym sock smell in a locker room during the hottest part of the summer in the industrialized town of Midgar; everyone was on the edge of their seats. Reno had to laugh to himself as he watched all the students wiggling about in their chairs like a bunch of fan girls waiting for their Teen Idol to come out the back door of an auditorium so they could maul the poor man to pieces. If they weren't any closer to whimpering little puppies waiting for Master to throw the stick, it would've been funny; it was like looking out on a sea of mini Zack's. Reno had befriended Zack long before had befriended Cloud and he had seen every side of Zack when it came to be tense about something; he had been tense the day he found out the results of Cadet Exam Finals that would determine whether he had made it into at least the 3rd Class of SOLDIER, that's all he wanted. He had seen Zack get worried over whether or not Angeal was going to berate him for something stupid he had done on a practice mission that he had known the man was watching him do.

Cloud was slowly showing these signs as saw a foot step into the room, his anxiety was overruling the want and mind's desire to go to sleep right now in class, but the footsteps had brought him to attention.

Especially as the others around him were getting anxious and almost ready to scream out their joy for the entrance of the man; it was Cloud's idol, and the same man he had run into night he had had his first run in with Tseng. And the night his peculiar dreams had started, with Tseng as the main reason for the odd dreams; Cloud turned to Reno as he heard the man chuckling to himself.

"So, the great General himself decided to grace you guys with his presence? This is a first in a long time, must be some good reason," Reno chuckled as he watched Cloud's growing to the size of saucers.

General Sephiroth's presence seemed to bring the on looking students attention to full attention; his hair was scintillating and luminous in the warm afternoon sun, the way he shined about the small room was inhumanly possible under any manmade light.

"Good morning general, sir!" the students jumped to attention, saluting the man with all the respect that was to be afford the man as their voices reached and spoke in a near-perfect unison.

"As you were," Sephiroth sighed to himself as he paused before continuing, allowing the students to sit, "Now, I don't have much patience today, so listen up or be prepared to be assigned to Guard Duty this week. You see, the President has decided that we run the exam earlier, for...financial reasons, and since that puts you all so far behind, I'm giving anyone who can't use materia in a practical setting a chance to speak now."

He waited as students began to move about in their seats, uncomfortably, "Because you won't be allowed to take the exam. Those of you that have it; come with me."

"You are all dismissed to follow after General Sephiroth," the Teacher nodded to those who had stood up at the order, those that were to test, among them were Cloud, Reno, and about ten others follow Sephiroth, and the rest were asked to wait before being dismissed.

Sephiroth led those that were assigned to take the test to a room that was just two doors to the left of the Gym; the room was larger then the usual room that most of the Cadets weren't familiar with. This room was equipped for the exam they were about to undertake, but at the back of the room in a neat row were a series of several large boxes lined up in a row; with dark blue work out mats on either side of them.  
"Get out the Fire Materia!" Sephiroth shouted suddenly, causing everyone to jump, before running to get one and line up on the mats.

Cloud was slightly uneasy about all of this, especially after the look and mood he had seen the General earlier that morning; fear of punishment for Zack running his mouth about the fact that Cloud may have an interest in Reno's boss was on his mind until the sound the General's voice brought him back to reality. Reno's gaze on him from across from him had him focused back on the present situation.

_Be cool. It's probably nothing like that…just a routine exam…_

"When I blow this whistle, it will be the turn of the next person down the line to cast a spell. Show me that our resources haven't been wasted on a bunch of snot nosed brats! Strife! You're first!" the whistle blew out with a tweet as the students went about doing their best.

Cloud was doing his best to will himself to create a good sized fire ball as he focused on the image of it in his palm; as he opened his eyes, he found that it had come true. It was floating just above the palm of his hand. Sephiroth continued to drill the students on every kind of Materia, over and over again, ordering them to use it to show him that they knew how to use it; this went on until lunchtime. Most of the Cadets were beginning to break down on stamina as some of the students had asked to sit down or out of the Exam for the time being. Sephiroth only allowed it after they had shown that they were capable of doing what he asked and when that was shown, they were allowed to rest.

One student was getting specifically on the General's nerves and it was showing as Cloud watched as the others sitting near him panting hard; Reno had been excused after he had been signed off.

"I'd better see a BIG improvement Johnson! You call yourself a Cadet! Unbelievable!" Sephiroth shouted as he about chased the Cadet out the door as another Cadet nearly raced out the door as he was being chased by the General.

Just when Cloud thought it was safe to go to lunch; he heard that same deep voice boom, "Strife, I want to see you in my office. NOW!" The owner's face did not look any less ominous than his voice sounded.

_Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse…or life for that matter…_

Cloud and the others that had been called out by the General stood at the ready outside the General's office while they waited for the unlucky Cadet in the man's office to exit; one after one they filed in and filed out. Each looking whiter and whiter like the bed sheets on their beds in their bunks, but there was something else about their pale look. A look of peace; each had walked in expecting the General to smite them down since the man did present an air of being God like to the Cadets; no one dared speak the wrong thing in front of the God. If it hadn't been for the harsh training and screaming they got from their Commanders during Training Classes; no one would've walked out of the office without a pair of wet pants. Something truly embarrassing as that may have been, but there was nothing of that on these Cadets, a smile? Was there a smile on their faces? Cloud tried to overhear them as they talked amongst themselves, crowing over the praise they had been given by the General, _the _General himself. Inflated egos, all around, that's all it was. Would Cloud have that same feeling when he came of the General's office?

He was next to be spoken to.

_Here goes nothing…_

"Strife, Cloud, D Rank Cadet Strife?" Cloud heard his name being called, but it didn't seem or feel real, everything seemed frozen in one place and spot, "Are you Cadet Strife?"

Sephiroth didn't sound pleased, but the look of fright as well as nervous fright that was etched on the boy's face was something that seemed to cause a silent purr to rumble in the man's throat. The sight of Cloud scrambling to snap out of his frightened haze to address the General properly is enticing to the General as he watches the youth in the thralls of fear.

A soft chuckle came from the General as he placed a simple gloved hand on the boy's shaking shoulder, "Relax Cadet, you aren't being put before a Jury to be sentenced to your utter doom," the General's demeanor seemed to be the thing that Cloud needed to relax.

"T-Thank you, sir…"a dust of blush crossed the Cadet's face; his childhood idol was being kind to him, even _speaking _to him, this was too much, "W-Wha…What was it you wanted to speak to me about sir?"

"Come in to my office, this is private matters," Sephiroth softly smiled towards the boy as he guided him into the office, closing the door quietly behind them.

Cloud had feared the worst, the whispers he had slowly managed to overhear from those that had been into see the General had given him the image of certain death was all that was going to await him, but that had been dismissed as Cloud glanced over the General's office. Not a single trace of contraptions of torture and punishment could be found; no signs or traces of previous torture or punishment were marred on the floor, walls, or furniture. Everything was immaculate and pristinely clean; this seemed to help calm the fear that been building in his subconscious, but that safe feeling was interrupted as he heard the General call out to him.

Bringing the Cadet's attention back towards the looming General, "Do you know why I asked you here today, Cadet?"

_Keep it together, Cloud…_"Not that I am aware, sir."

"Please, take a seat, relax, you aren't in any trouble," Sephiroth's calm demeanor seemed to sound like a direct and snapped order to the Cadet as he shakily sat down in a chair not too far from the General.

"Now, the reason I asked you here was because among your fellow Cadets, you show a special and unique talent…"

Cloud nodded firmly, "Thank you, sir, but you boast too much of my skills, General, sir."

A soft chuckle came from Sephiroth's lips, the sensation tingling on the man's lips; Cloud was being innocently cute without noticing it, "I do not boast for any particular reason, unless I mean to do so, Cadet."

"…I'm sorry for doubting your reasons, sir," Cloud's face tried to hide away from the General's leering gaze, but it could not be hidden from the General, "S-Sir?"

"…You're truly feminine in the simplest ways, Cadet," Sephiroth, without warning, had seemed to had delivered himself into the boy's lap as he straddled his thighs on either side of the boy's thighs, "Especially this face of yours…"

Sephiroth's gloved fingers began to lightly trace the boy's face, a silent, but weak shiver started to build up through Cloud as he felt the man's fingers brushing his skin; he was fighting with his body to not to moan at the man's mere touches. But that's what the man wanted Cloud to do; he wanted to hear that voice make the sounds he wish he can hear outside of the dreams he had been having at night. He had not stopped dreaming of the boy since the run in on the stairway towards the boy's bunk which had been interrupted by a lusting and flirtatious, Genesis. A soft smirk graced the General's face as he moved in closer and closer to the boy's face till his lips were near the boy's ear; Cloud could feel the heat tingling off the man's lips against his own. Cloud's gloved hands gripped harder and harder at the arms of the chair, hoping to not alert the General.

But it was lost cause at that point.

Lost at the point of the General's lower body starting to slowly move downwards onto the boy's body as his lips drew in closer against Cloud's ear, "…Are you scared of me, Cadet?"

"N-No…No sir…Just…Just leery as to why you are so close to me, sir…"Cloud started to shake in his chair; his breath slowly coming in small intervals as he felt the General's knee slid up, just slightly in between his thighs, "S-Sir…"

"…Relax," Sephiroth purred to himself as a hand cupped the boy's cheek, stroking his thumb against it, "Tell me a little about yourself…"

How could anyone do such a command? There was a man, a beautiful man as it was, the General was beautiful and handsome, but Cloud wasn't sure if he truly was gay, but the General was starting to make that a truth for him. The General's actions were almost forced on the young Cadet as Cloud fought off every stream of adrenaline telling him to just indulge in what was in front of him. Sephiroth could fulfill him more then any other man, especially Tseng; that was all Sephiroth could think of. Taking away this beautiful young man from a man that didn't deserve Cloud. And Cloud didn't deserve the quiet and stoic Turk. Cloud could feel the General's interest in him growing a soft yelp came from his mouth that he attempts to hide, clasping a hand to his mouth. His face began to become a dusty shade of blush as he watches the General's smirk growing deeper, longer, wider and more devious. Fear was growing in Cloud's mind as he watched the General nod as he continued to talk of his country town upbringing, his dreams to become a SOLDIER, but he could further and further see that the General was highly intrigued in the fear coming off of him.

"Have a girlfriend, Cloud?" Sephiroth smirked as his nose started to trace up behind the boy's ear as he watched Cloud flinch which turned to a shiver as the General's knee shifted against the spot between the boy's thighs again, "Anyone have your heart back home?"

Cloud started to shake, "N-No…No sir, I haven't had time for girl's…"

Sephiroth smirked as he leaned in against the boy's neck, his breath could be felt tickling at the young man's hairline, "Are you interested in…?

"Sephiroth, I was wondering if…" the sound of Genesis' voice broke the awkward silence in the room as Sephiroth's head slightly turned over his shoulder to see the man standing in the door way, "Well…when were you going to tell me you were playing "Interrogation"? Before or after you've gotten in the Cadet's pants?"

"…I'm sorry sirs, but I really must be going," a harsh streak of blush was painted on Cloud's face as he gently pushed the General off of him, bowing graciously at the waist, "Excuse me…"

Sephiroth was less then impressed by the actions or demeanor in which Genesis had spoken, and in the presence of a Cadet, "If you ever do or say anything like that again, you'll be missing a few extremities, especially the _one _that counts."

* * *

Authoress note: I'd love some reviews; but if you're not willing to, then I guess I'll just keep all the lovely smut coming up in the next few chapters to myself. (evil grin)


	4. Embarrasment

Disclaimer: Please Refer to Chapter 1

AN: Sad!Cloud which kinda means a little bit of angst to this, still fluffy at the moment, and also, go check this out on Deviantart dot com under the Author Name:Rizafan203(Kitsunefan203 on here); that's the Author Name for the other this is Collaborated with.

Embarrassment. We all suffer from it; it's triggered by some of the smallest things that leave us blushing out of embarrassment or running into the night, tears flowing down our face as we race away from those that try and help us over that embarrassment. Embarrassments graces it way to the surface when we least suspect it; leaving us to be the object of scrutiny by those who see it crossed on our face. Feelings of being stuck in the middle of a stage as a stage light floods in on us while a thousand eyes amongst the audience hall watches and stares at us. Stare, laugh, and point, that's all they do and that's the mere illusion that comes into our minds when embarrassment grips our very minds. Cloud could feel it overwhelming as he ran in a fit of embarrassment, eyes gazing downwards at the metal cat walks, running into anyone that was in the way as he tried to avoid everyone's leering gaze, only hearing their murmured swears as he continued to run. Tears were fighting to break through the floodgates of his hardened gaze, thoughts and questions started to run through his mind, many of them having to do with the General. A man that ever since he had ever heard of such thing as a man that possessed a God-like presence in the photos he would seek out when word reached the small backwater little country town of Niblehiem; he had dreamed at that time of meeting the man. Once he had achieved that overall acceptance of being in a place where there was the possible chances of running into his childhood hero; he hadn't measured up to the thought process or fact that the chances of meeting the one on one like he had. Questions were flooding every process as images of the man's face started to spark up in his thoughts and mind. Why? Why had the man done all that? Why hadn't he fought the General off? What had he done to allure the man's interest in him out into the open to the point that Cloud had become an almost willing participant?

Why?

_Why_ was the start of every question that was run wild like a pack of wild dogs towards a new kill as the wild dogs finally caught up with Cloud as the young man fell face forward onto the grate of the cat walk. No one was around, thankfully, to the see the fall or the fall of tears slowly streaming down his face as a harsh sob strangled in his throat. It was matched with the utter desire to dry heave against the grate; thankfully, the General's actions had not caused too much of stir where the General had been placed against his body. He could not bring himself to see if there were any marks on him the General being close to his body as he had; the only marks were the brands of embarrassment etched on his subconscious. With each passing racking sob that came from his form, a new image of what had occurred replayed again like a vicious and sadistic play. The General straddling him, knee to the nether regions, soft lips and puffs of tantalizing, lustful air brushing against his neck, gloved fingers tracing his face, the need, desire, and the utter want to give into the mans whims. Urges of moans, gasps and groans fighting to struggle forth from his mental prison that he could not do such a thing; it could've been a trap to lure the young man out to prove he had a love interest in a man. It could've cost him all his chances to be in SOLDIER.  
Then there was the final image of a lusting gazed face of Genesis as if he knew this was the norm for the General till he had burst through into cat walk and started the run that he had fallen out of.

"…This is too confusing…too much…I can't handle this…I just want to go home now…"a harsh sob came from his lips as he subdued himself to curl into as small a ball he could; hopefully no one would spot him, _I just want this untrue nightmare to end…_

~XXX~

Reno's gaze turned up to the clock on the wall, what was the point of sticking around a stuffy office when all Tseng was going to do was have them in conference over the latest situation regarding Wutai. But something drew his attention on the man; Wutai was Tseng's home turf and hearing about was going in Wutai seemed to be running the man ragged. Especially since any personnel that had been sent to investigate the rumored "secret weapon" of Wutai were never heard from again; he had held true to honor for Wutai and knew what they were capable of, or at least their hatred for ShinRa. But it had been his responsibility to keep those that were sent out safe, and he had failed at it; it also didn't help that lately, he had been getting called to the President's Office now again. On more frequent bases, now and again; it had seemed that the President's son, as young as he seemed, had taken a liking to Tseng. It was only a seemingly platonic relationship between friends, but it also showed in Tseng's body language that there was something else there that was running the man ragged.

As it may not have been Reno's business to know what was driving his Superior into the ground; he felt it was his duty to do so, even if they weren't friendly with one another, "Hey, Boss, you got a minute?"

Tseng waved off the secretary that had been at his desk side, talking to him about the latest reports that had managed to make it out of Wutai and back to Midgar, "I'll go over these later; what is it Reno?"

"Don't mean to intrude in your kind of personal crisis with all that's going on, but I couldn't help but see that you seemed kind of dream eyed the last time I saw you leaving the President's kids side the other day…you okay there, Boss?"

A heavy sigh, that could've been read as annoyance or stressing wear on the mind came from the man as Tseng moved out from behind the desk; Reno could sense this was going to end up with someone paying the price as he backed up, "Just asked a question, Boss, don't need the doom and gloom gaze, just back up a little, Boss."

"Have you ever had dreams you couldn't explain, Reno?" Tseng began as he leaned against his desk, arms crossed across his chest with his head tilted slightly as if to hear the man's answer.

"I guess, don't most people do?" Reno nervously chuckled as his fingers scratched at the back of his head near the long draping ponytail down to the middle of his back, "Why? You having problems sleeping at night? Because I know of an old remedy my Ma taught me when I was a young pup---"

Tseng held up a hand; his face told it all, closed eyes that were not too tight and yet, not too loose, enough to show annoyance that the person speaking was talking too much as well as enough to be ready to spring to action at a moments notice, "I'm sleeping alright, it's just…I keep having this reoccurring dream that I can't explain and I don't dare speak about it to someone in the Labs; they would blab to the President and then I'd be looking at possible discharge from here…"

Now it was Reno's turn to share the look, but it was an alteration of Tseng's; Reno's look was a look of, 'Say What?' as if his simple slum mind was trying to comprehend _half_ of what had just been said. There were reasons why a Turk could be discharged from the Turks; honorable ones would be they had done all they could within their service and had fulfilled their purpose and could be rewarded with either a desk job or early retirement. They have found themselves with child and it would seem easier for them to be discharged to assure that no undo pressure to them while working within the Organization still or at best, field missions, would be suspended to them. Then there were the discharges that were not ones that were will spoke of; dishonorable discharge. Those discharges were left to those who had shown to be disrespectful of the code of honor and conduct that came with the title of Turk. Reno had come close now and again to facing such termination since he was, nicknamed by the President and become a well known nickname to the President's son, the "Wild Turk". He earned that reputation by his wild stunts and those wild stunts had time and time again, nearly cost him his life and his long standing with the Turks. From the look on Tseng's face; it seemed that the situation the man was in regarding his dream or dreams was liable to be his undoing.

"Care to talk about it, Boss?" Reno seemed to interject with a faint shrug of the shoulders, "It might help you to talk about it to someone you trust."

Tseng seemed to loosen up but the look of hesitation and annoyance that he was even discussing it with Reno, "You better be on the up and up with this, Reno, or else…"

"Don't sweat it," the loud mouth Turk remarked as his hands flew up wildly, "I'll even tell you about one of my own if it'll help you feel any better, Boss."

"Alright…" Tseng sat on the edge of his desk as he proceeded to go into detail about his dream.

~XXX~

It wasn't a reoccurring dream as he had stated to Reno; he had to reel the man in some way to speak to him about, Reno was about one of the only few he trusted to convene this kind of thing to, anyone else would've ratted him out for his position. There were nights that it didn't come, and those were the nights that he was overstressed from the overwhelming word he had been hearing coming in from Wutai as well as other Personnel's reports. When there wasn't the overwhelming stress of the day to wear on his growing tired mind; the dream would come. He would find himself sitting outside his family's home in Wutai, his hair grown out past his shoulders; simply enjoying the peace that the simple Koi pond brought him. Sounds of the forest like jungle just moments steps away from his back steps; it seemed truly peaceful compared to the harsh and cold world of Midgar. The peace felt like it could go on forever, but his gaze would always be drawn to the sounds of the distant bushes rustling mixed with the sounds of an animal seeming to call out in distress. Each night, he was growing progressively more intrigued and courageous to approach the sounds; by the third or fourth night that the dream had come, he had found the means to approach to find a golden bird standing amongst them. Its foot was trapped in a trap of sorts, and like any kind of person that could not see the animal suffer; he would remove the animal's appendage from the trap.

"The other night, when I had the dream, it may the stress getting to me in my dreams, but I could've sworn I heard the bird speak and just as it began to shed its feathers like a snake does when they tire of it…" it seemed to farfetched to seem real.

Reno watched on with anticipating gaze and wonder, "And?"

~XXX~

As if out of a child's fairy tale book, the bird's feather would began to fall away like a gentle snow storm of yellow feathers and as they did; a small boyish figure seemed to be coming out of the flurry of feathers. Blowing at the feathers, batting them out of his way, while giggling as a few fell against his youthful body, laughing as they continued to tickle till the feathers disappeared to reveal the youth standing with a pair of pants about his slim waist. Upon further and closer inspection, the youth would be without shoes or clothing top, but the most splendorous thing about the youth was the wild but yet unique styling upon his head that was his hair. It resembled the crest of the illusive bird known as a Chocobo that he had only heard of from the Elders and as he continued to study the boy; he found himself lost that the boy had even spoken.

"What does the kid say?" the way Tseng had described the youthful boy in his dream; it started to make a startling contrast to Cloud, "Or do you wake up before then?"

Tseng shook his head as he ran his hands over his face before pushing the heel of his palms into his weary eyes, "He says something I slowly pick up, but I don't know what he means…"

"What is it?"

"He says to me, 'I've been waiting for someone much like, you an outcast from the throes of everything like me; we can understand one another…that's why…I love you…"

Everything in the room seemed to go cold for a moment, "Then as the words trail off, I wake up in a cold sweat and have to face yet another day of the same day in and out routine."

Reno nervously chuckled to himself; it sounded almost down to the wild flurry of hair on the boy's head like Cloud, "I think you've been working too hard, Boss, but, do you think this may have to do with a particular little Cadet whose always seen running around with 2nd Cla---

"1st Class now, I know of the man you're thinking about…and I know of the Cadet you are trying to speak of…but I'm not sure if I can truly pin him as the reason for my dreams," Reno seemed to relax at the man's words, "But…"

"But what, sir?"

Tseng seemed to look away to the side of his desk, "…Nothing, do you have the reports from the General regarding the students from the Materia class he took out for the day to see them show off their skills to assure us they are up to par?"

"Right here," Reno passed the reports over to Tseng who seemed to thumb through them, "See you around then, Boss if you don't need me further."

~XXX~

A faint grunt and nod came from Tseng as Reno took his leave out of the room; something seemed truly off about his Superior, it was if he was hiding that in some way, his own friend, Cadet Cloud Strife, was giving his Superior strife. More or less, grief over just one minimal run in with the Turk to the point of hearing in detail from Zack, with a flurry of hands as to act it out for the Turk, as to how it had all gone down. Reno had been watching his Superior's actions lately and he could tell when someone seemed on a brink of ready to snap at the next person who spoke to them. Tseng was tied down with fear of the unknown and what shouldn't be.

He shouldn't be in love with a Cadet.

A _male_ Cadet at that.

"…If Mama was still alive as well as Papa…what would they say if they knew that their dreams of their only son finding a good girl to settle down with and bearing them an heir were dashed because of one little Cadet?" in a simple show of unnerved and wavering, even, unknown feeling towards the situation; Tseng tossed the file folder that had Cloud's snapshot attached to the file tossed onto his desk, "They would be devastated and I would be…"

Cloud's snapshot remained open across Tseng's desk as a stream of moonlight seemed to dance into the room upon the photo, "…No use thinking on it right now. I just need to sleep now."

**The Tiger and Chocobo Chp. 4** by ~Rizafan203

Disclaimer: Please Refer to Chapter 1  
AN: Sad!Cloud which kinda means a little bit of angst to this, still fluffy at the moment, and also, go check this out on under the Author Name: xxLivingPuppetxx234; that's the Author Name for the other this is Collaborated with.  
Embarrassment. We all suffer from it; it's triggered by some of the smallest things that leave us blushing out of embarrassment or running into the night, tears flowing down our face as we race away from those that try and help us over that embarrassment. Embarrassments graces it way to the surface when we least suspect it; leaving us

Drag and Drop to Collect


	5. Cold

Chapter 5

Cold.

That's all Cloud could feel.

Cold was gripping on him and he couldn't figure out why he was feeling cold; he was in his bed, wrapped in his bunk bed's blankets, wasn't he? If he was, then why did he feel so cold? His mind had chased him subconsciously to somewhere else beside the place he was laying upon, upon cold metal grating of a metal catwalk that had seen several feet of foot traffic from boots that had clunked along the metal catwalk, making way to various places. Scents from the thousands upon boots that had walked this familiar pathway curled themselves around Cloud where he had curled up against the metal catwalk after the disturbing time he had had in the General's office. He had wanted to shut out the world, but the world wasn't ready to cave in and give him what he wanted; it was trying to wake him. He was unrelenting to the world's pleas, even the hands that had found their way on to his form as to awaken him from the dream world he had forced his mind to create to escape realism and reality. Voices were slowly creeping in with the hands as they started to probe and prod through the fog that his mind had created to avoid reality; they were becoming insistent that the blond awaken. He was fighting with what strength he had to fight them off, but the hands and voices were winning.

"Cloud…Cloud…come on, buddy, you got to wake up, this is no place for you to fall asleep…come on, wake up…"the voice was soft and soothing; it could've been his Mother if this was still his dream as he seemed to lean into the hand that was shaking him awake, "Come on buddy, I'm sure enough people have about stepped around you by now and some people have probably written you up by this point."

Cloud seemed to stir momentarily, "…I don't want to go to bed, Mom…I'm not tired."

Angeal watched his student trying to stir his young friend as he moved forward, scooping the blond into his arms, "Come on, Pup, he's not going to wake up right now, let's let him sleep it off and he'll be fine in the morning," the man's heavy steps began to move for the Cadet's bunk, "From the grumblings I've heard coming from the Cadet Quad area, it seems General Sephiroth worked your friend's Materia class pretty hard today regarding some exam."

"You don't think Seph hurt the guy, do you?" Zack started nibbling on his lower lip while one of his fingers sat in between his teeth, "He wouldn't hurt, Cloud, would he?"

"…No…no…Please stop, sir…I don't know how to answer that, sir…" Cloud seemed to be muttering in his sleep as Angeal started up the stairs towards the bunk area for Cadet Dorm rooms, "Mmnh…I…I…"

Zack watched Cloud bury his face into Angeal's chest as his mutterings became soft and muttered as they were hidden against Angeal's shoulder; something seemed to be brewing in Zack as he watched how his friend seemed to be hiding against his Mentor. Now, Zack was assured he was in love with the young girl from the Slums he had found and come to befriend, but there had been no real interest there between them. She seemed fearful of Zack at times because he was a SOLDIER; it was as if, she knew that his eyes being an unnatural green glow from the Mako that was pumped into SOLDIERS bodies. It was something that made her weary and hesitant to truly find an interest in the man and he had been slowly seeing some faint hints that they were going to be more or less, just friends. But, something had begun overtake him like a small swarming infection, but it wasn't an infection that would make one sick like you would with a fever, chills, cough and other known symptoms. It was an infection of growing change in him that he had tried to ignore in the days after Angeal had caught the man into a lip lock that had left a tingle on his lips. He had gone off on a date with the young woman from the Slums, but there had been uneasiness with Zack as he had escorted her through the Slums towards a place they had begun to frequent. When the young woman had attempted to find out what had happened at work or why Zack had seemed distant, the man had all but snapped her head off.

That had become the slow down and the speed up of the infection that had started from the one whom had given it to him.

The day after he had snapped at the young woman he had considered his girlfriend; he had spent the entire day attempting to hide from his Mentor, but there was no avoiding the man especially when a man like Kunsel was strictly loyal to the 1st Class SOLDIER. Zack had whined like a puppy walking to go and face its Master after it had peed on the rug or torn up the man's favorite slippers or done something worse, but when he had come face to face with Angeal; the man didn't appear angry. He had been worried, in his own way, as to why he had been able to find the teen when he needed him; he simply wanted to speak to him about a Mission he was going to take Zack off to that wasn't authorized by ShinRa.

Mission, to get the teen alone and speak to him regarding what was going on with him and why he had been avoiding the man recently as well as been skittish about Missions that were situated within the Virtual Rooms. Unfortunately, that's where the men had been headed when they came across a chattering, sleeping as it seemed, blond Cadet.

Zack was keeping his attention on Cloud, but why was he feeling put out that his closest friend was snuggling, snuggling, against his Mentor's shoulder? And why was he feeling, was this, jealousy, over his best friend being a little too clingy to his Mentor and why should Zack care? He wasn't gay. Such a thing would be grounds for ShinRa to disbar the SOLDIER or Cadet, whatever the rank, and have notice sent to the home of the individual's Emergency Contact to accept notice that their loved one was being dishonorable discharged for misconduct. The misconduct, that was to be left to the individual who was dishonorably discharged. If he wasn't, then why was he feeling angry as well as a little bit of jealousy towards his cute little friend innocently cuddling in close, in his sleep, against his own Mentor?

"Can you get the door for me, Zackary?" Angeal's voice managed to break Zack's jealous haze and images he was thinking on how to question Angeal about why the man had even kissed him that time before and if it meant anything, "Zackary? Zack?"

Zack snapped to attention as he slammed his hands into the door, not giving heed to the fact that Cloud may have had a roommate and the roommate, if there was one, was possibly asleep, "…Sorry."

Angeal shook his head as he shouldered his way into the Cadet's room as he carefully placed the blond onto the bed, "Get some rest, you're going to need it for the morning; I'll talk to your Teacher's and let them know you in a Study Session with Zackary…" the man's gloved hand ran across Cloud's brow which revealed that the boy was in a small sweat, "…Or I can use the excuse that you're ill, you're not leaving this bunk tomorrow, but either I or Zackary will be by tomorrow to check in on you and give you some medicine tomorrow."

"…N…o…Cl…as…s…can't…fa…l…l…beh…in…d…"Cloud groaned in his sleep as he attempted to fight his way to his feet, but Angeal's hand on the boy's chest stopped him, "Let…me…go…"

"You're going to stay right here, and so am I until I know you're asleep; you're no good to anyone if you're ill on your feet with a fever," Angeal's brows knitted together in worry as he watched the boy slowly start to give up fighting the bigger man off until he saw that Cloud had faded into sleep, as restless as it seemed, "Come on, Pup; he needs some rest and I've still got to show you that Mission I wanted to take you on…"

Zack watched Angeal walk out of the doorway and make his way for the Virtual Rooms; Gaia, why did the man have to the hips like a woman when he walked? It was enough to make Zack's inner Puppy squeal or whine out in utter plea for the man to just stop and let him pin the man to the floor so that he could ravish beyond all compare. Angeal's heavy footsteps echoed back into Zack's ears as they seemed to appear distant in his sight and his ears as the sound of the footfalls began to sound much like the sounds of his own heartbeat. Angeal was a perfection of something he couldn't have and shouldn't pursue, but how could someone not want a man like Angeal? He was perfection or so it appeared in the way his long locks hung down his squared off shoulders and whenever he turned around, and faced you. The locks seemed to frame his face into a look that could've made the object of erotic romance novels and women's fantasies, Fabio, jealous at how beautiful the man looked.

It was unfair.

Did the Gods find pleasure in driving Zack out of his comfort zone into another zone?

Did they enjoy taunting him to the edge of making the man want to explode?

Something.

…or someone.

Was going to have to give, either him, or Angeal was going to have give, and this time; it was going to have to be Angeal; plans started to formulate in Zack's youthful mind as he started planning how he was going to Angeal. This would all have to be well planned so as to not be caught and have the plans and tables turned on him; Angeal had initiated this infection and now, it was time to infect the carrier back. No one made a fool of Zackary Fair and got away with it.

That was his job.

From the looks of it all, there was no one in the watchtower of the Virtual Room they had walked into, so far, so good; Zack could use this to his advantage since he had an inkling that no one would be up at this hour. Lights out had been only a couple of hours ago, but for SOLDIERS, the rules for Cadets didn't apply to these super warriors, but no one could stay awake all night to assure someone wasn't going to screw with the room. Unfortunately for Zack, the room felt and looked familiar; it was all too familiar, but he hadn't gotten too far in this room. He had always been stopped short of facing against the General. Tonight would be different. Angeal began keying in the key numbers for the scenario while he gave a simple nod to Zack to prepare himself for the coming scenario. His youthful eyes became shrouded behind the virtual mask as the room began to shift towards the scenario he was all too familiar with; everything seemed to be going fine, until…

"End of the line, Zack…"a gruff voice called out from behind Zack as he kept his hands up at bay, not wanting to find who he was up against, "It ends here for you, because, it seems you made one fatal mistake."

Zack was annoyed that he had been caught like this, "Care to explain---SEPHIRTOH!?"

"Why the sudden shock, Zackary? I figured we were friends and don't friends spar with one another now and again!"

Clashing sounds of metal hit upon one another as Zack began to grunt at trying to fend off the General's long sword, "They do, but, why are you doing this? I know this is only a Virtual Scenario, but you shouldn't have this kind of stre---AAH!"

Zack was sent flying, unawares, "Why? Are you afraid that I'll actually steal from you what's important?" slash of the blade went, "You think I didn't know your little friend has another interest?" clang of the sword as Zack started to back up into a wall, "He's got the look that any man would be interest in…tell me, Zack, why does Tseng find interest in the blond? Why?"

"I…I…I…" all Zack could think of was getting out of this alive, "I don't know if he even likes Cloud!"

"…You're lying, Zackary, and I hate liars…" Sephiroth had Zack by the scruff of his neck as he threw him onto the ground once more, sword well aimed towards a vital place upon the young man's chest, "Heh, I'm sorry, but I guess you're going to have lose your answers as to why Angeal likes you so much…"

All Zack could see was a flash of white before the sounds of metal clanging was heard again; he was unsure if he should've opened his eyes, but something was telling him to open his eyes, "…That's enough, Sephiroth. Move on. You killing Zackary isn't going to atone for your broken feelings…" Angeal pulled his sword away as the Sephiroth seemed to sheath his own sword and slowly start to become merely particles as Angeal began the process of aborting the Mission, "You alright?"

"…"

"Heh, come on, Pup, let's get out of here," Angeal moved for the teen's hand as he helped him up, but what he didn't expect was for the force in which the pull had taken; Zack all but threw himself onto the man, "Mmphf?!"

Zack's hands cupped Angeal's face as he fought to earn some kind of response; he didn't want to have to resort to tears; he was pulling air in through his nose as he started to feel his own stinging tears began to sting at his eyelids. Why wasn't Angeal returning the man's affections? Had he cost those returned affections when he had played dumb to the man's affections the first time had opened to doing such affections to the teen? When there was no reaction, Zack slowly pull his lips away, his eyes turned down his boots as he tried to hide the now streaming tears that were slowly collecting on his boots. He couldn't bring himself to look Angeal in the eye because all he feared to see there would be nothing but hatred and disgust, but when he felt Angeal's gloved hands brush up his arms, cross the bump his shoulders. Slowly caress against his neck as one stayed on the back of his neck while the other slipped up under the teen's chin, lifting tearful eyes up to meet the older man's gaze. What happened next, Zack would never speak of as he felt Angeal's lips softly kissing each eyelid, one then the other as the kisses began to dance down the bridge of the youth's nose till they were inches away from the youth's lips.

"…Care to explain what happened in there?"

Zack knew he was in trouble; he knew he had something to do, possibly at best, for why Cloud had been muttering in his sleep regarding the General. It had been Zack, who had at the drinking party they had held after the Mission to Wutai to scope out the area, who had blurted out in either a fit of drunken stupor or pure sobriety that he had mentioned about Cloud's possibly liking to Tseng. He was the one responsible for why the General had overworked Cloud and his fellow Cadets in their exam that afternoon, but was he the reason for why the blond had been muttering words against the General in his sleep? Whatever it was, Angeal was looking for answer.

Softly shuffling came from Zack's feet as he started to sniffle; he had been caught and he felt embarrassed to be cornered, "…I thought…since you kissed me before…that it would alright for me to do it too?"

Angeal softly chuckled as his lips started to thread in with the youths as his fingers against the base of Zack's head began to thread in through the raven colored mane of the youth's wild hair. Zack could only moan, when he should've been disgusted, as he felt Angeal's lips threading deeper and deeper against his as their lips started to part faintly. Openly threading once again as Zack crept in closer against his Mentor as he tested the boundaries as he began to slowly wrap his arms around his Mentor's shoulders as he let out a faint squeak as he found his Mentor's hands on him. But they were in a place he was caught unawares by; Angeal had placed his hands, gently, cupping against the teen's buttocks. Squeezing just for the pure fun of it as he watched and felt Zack start to squirm, but Angeal managed to divert that attention as his tongue started to probe in against the opened mouth gap that was there. Zack nearly melted as his senses let down all barriers as he felt Angeal in his mouth, teasing every corner of his tongue as he fought back groaning, gasping, and moaning at the man's actions.

Don't let this end…this feels right, for the first time, this feels right…

"…Let's get out of here for tonight, you did your best tonight, but tomorrow, the true mission starts; we're heading to Wutai to go and handle a Mission that even Lazard won't give me the full details on…just not yet…"Angeal softly pecked the teen's lips as his tongue softly lapped at the sweet taste that had developed on Zack's lips; it was a sweet, but yet, salty tasty of his Pup, he liked the taste and hopefully he would earn more of that, "Come on…I'm sure you're sweaty from that run and we've got an early morning in the morning."

Zack contently nodded as he stole one last kiss, "Are you trying to invite yourself to my shower later, Angeal or am I just reading too far into that?" a soft smirk crossed Zack's lips as he ran his hands down into Angeal's as they began to walk out, "Because I think we should still take it easy with this…don't need the big Bosses finding out that their star SOLDIERS, Angeal Hewley and Zackary "Zack" Fair are in love with one another…"

"You were reading too far into it, Pup," Angeal chuckled as he wrapped his arm around the youth's waist, softly whispering into his ear before giving it a test nip, "…That kind of thing comes later…when we're ready for that level of commitment…"

"Mmnh…I look forward that part of our commitment…"Zack could've almost been heard purring as he leaned in against Angeal's shoulder, a hand placed into the back pocket of Angeal's pants as the two walked, blissfully towards their Dorm, "Angeal…do you think, do you think Cloud will come around to Tseng like we did?"

Angeal had to ponder that, "It's up to both men…one to give, and one to take, and eventually, it'll take both to take and accept; love is confusing Pup, especially when its hit people that aren't familiar with these feelings."


	6. Discoveries

Chapter Six

Tseng's footsteps could be heard against the cat walk metal grating as kept his gaze looking out and on the look out for a particular red head; it seemed whenever Tseng _needed _or was preparing to _order _the red headed Turk, Reno, do anything. The man would find just cause or reason to go missing. How lovely for him? Reno had been ordered by not only the Superiors to report to the Weapons Development Department, but it seemed Tseng was going to be on his case about it. Only one thing to do. Find a means of distraction which had shortly become a trip over to the File Cabinet in the Records Department instead of his originally intended location. He had heard from Zack, after he had mad sure to hide the hints of lost in lust and love with his Mentor, all about what had happened to Cloud. Sephiroth may be a General and the self proclaimed Hero of the Worlds as ShinRa seemed to slap up everywhere they could think to slap it up at, but even the man needed to obey and be respectful of boundaries when someone isn't outright giving you the "hint" that they aren't interested in the least in you. Cloud was fragile, just a young pup from the countryside like Zack, and not too far off from the same kind of person as a Reno had grown up like. Country Bumpkins and Slum Rats needed to stick together. Unfortunately, something that he had heard about his partner in Crime, and friend for life, till they were both old and crabby old men sitting on a porch somewhere, admiring the headstones of their wives who had passed before them. It had Reno curious; was Rude all he was cracked up to be?

The raven haired Wutai Turk Leader was getting upset by the moment as he seemed to be losing patience and walkway to keep looking for the red head, but as if the Goddess had smiled on him; it dawned on him.

Reno must have been hanging out with Cloud, those two were almost inseparable like the fact that he was tied at Zack Fair's hip pocket; the man found himself turning towards Cloud's dorm as he knocked on the door, "Reno, you have five seconds to open this door…"

"Coming…"Cloud groggily answered as he cracked the door open, but the minute he opened the door; his eyes fell on the man he had been thinking of during his run in with the General, _Great. As if my week can't get any worse…_

"C-come...in?" Cloud asked shyly, stepping aside to allow the Turk commander into his room.

Tseng took the young man's invitation as he walked in, listening to the sound of the teen's feet scuffling against the floor as the sound of the door shutting told him they were alone, "I haven't seen Reno since last period, sir" Cloud spoke up softly towards to Tseng, not looking his way.

"Why aren't you at the party, Cloud? I'm sure Zack would like your company." Tseng replies after Cloud invites him to sit on the bunk opposite him; which was either Reno's or Zack's, judging from the crumpled sheets and AXE-scented pillow.

It seemed that a Party had been planned and was in full swing at the moment down in the SOLDIERS wing; it seemed that Zack and Angeal's mission that had taken them into the heart of Wutai had been a success. Zack was going to end up being a smashed Puppy come the morning while Angeal would be keeping an eye on the young Pup to which he would simply carry the man to his room for the night. Cloud seemed distant as he began playing with the fraying end of his shirt; he had brought this shirt among the others like it with him from Niblehiem when he was accepted into the Cadets Program.

Cloud shook his head, "He isn't here," he took to staring at his small feet.

"What's wrong, Cloud? You look like a mouse staring up at a hungry lion," Tseng remarked with a smirk.

Cloud wanted nothing to just curl up into a small ball and hide from the World; anything couldn't be worse then facing the man who had been the thing he had focused on when the General was touching, "I came from General Sephiroth's office earlier. He seemed to be praising me, then I then he tried...h-he tried-"

Tseng put up a hand, signaling Cloud to stop, "Thank you Cloud; I will talk to the General about keeping his hands to himself," the man decided it was best to leave well enough alone for now.

"…Thank you, sir…"Cloud kept his face buried against his knees, but there was a small gift that left Tseng blushing the rest of the day; a simple smile was on Cloud's lips as he watched the Turk leave to reprimand a hands on General and an AWOL Turk.

"Anytime, Cadet…"Tseng took his leave as he headed for the direction of the General's office, all the while plotting Reno's punishment.

It seemed that even if Zack was Angeal's Puppy; Zack had a high tolerance for alcohol and was none the bit tipsy as he sparred against Angeal, but Angeal wasn't quite sure if the Pup's actions and movements were simply sober moves. Or if the young man was just playing around and being as serious as he should've, but when the man wasn't looking; Zack took a moment to swing his sword into a wide arc in which the man blocked.

Angeal was impressed, "I think your friendship with that Cadet is a good influence on you. You've become more observant and patient with your swordsmanship," he remarked as Zack parried his attacks with better timing and accuracy than usual in their little training sessions together.

"Yeah? Spike's pretty quick too. I can see his improvements real easy; the kid's a fast learner," Zack dodged Angeal's sword with enough time to kick the older man's feet out from under him.

Angeal's pride seemed still intact as he smirked up at his Student as he reached out a hand to the man, "Are you a fast learner, Zack?"

"I'd like to think so," Zack remarked, confused by the Mentor's taunting remark as he pulled Angeal to his feet.

Unfortunately for Zack, it seemed he still had some things to learn as Angeal pulled Zack into an arousing, yet quick kiss before letting go and pulling away, "What did you learn, puppy?" he asked with a teasing smirk.

Zack smirked back at his Mentor before slipping his arms around the man's neck, kicking the practice swords out of the way; his lips slowly moved in against Angeal's as he fought to make it deeper. Ever since the previous events in the Virtual Training Room; he had dreamt about, almost wished for, Angeal to just stop the quick pecks and at least make them deeper as he waited for Angeal to take the hint of his probing tongue.

He soon gained the favor of his wish as he squeaked softly at the feeling of Angeal's tongue against his in which he managed to pull away from, "Plenty...and that you have a rather talented tongue at that..." Zack softly pecked at the man's lips as he began to push himself up off of Angeal, "Come on, let's go over that spar again!"

"Reno," Tseng called out as he spotted the red headed Turk he had been in search of since a good part of the morning, "I've been looking for you and I'm sure you've about left the Weapons Development Department in an uproar. You are after all the one who opted to be the Test Subject to test out the new ShinRa weapon technology."

Reno seemed to be fumbling with something in his hands when Tseng had caught up to him, "S-Sorry about that, sir," a goofy, yet embarrassed grin spread against his face; it was enough to make the Cheshire cat green with envy, "Just got a little sidetracked."

On the floor, near Reno's feet was an open file folder that held a photo of one of the officials of ShinRa, "Lazard? Why are you looking in his fi---" Reno snatched the file away from Tseng's hands as a rosy blush started to grow on Reno's cheeks as he viciously tried to put it away into the cabinet.

"Care to explain that, Reno?" Tseng quirked an eyebrow at the man as he watched the fiery red headed Turk start to grow flustered.

"J-Just…Just some research for a friend whose taken a shine to the guy, that a problem now?" Reno was trying to cover his tracks, but was failing and doing it with grace.

No one was going to buy such a bold face lie when it was written all over Reno's face that his intentions of looking into the man's file folder was more then just simple _research _for a _friend. _He had known Reno since his start and since the start of the Turks that had been set up by ShinRa himself; there was never any use in hiding lies from the man because in more then one way they tend to come to light. But there was nothing he could do about it.

"Don't let it happen again, Reno," Tseng waved the man off as he headed towards the General office, "Get to the Weapons Development Department soon before I'm forced to tell Scarlet that you were looking into possible other girls beside her; you know she's got a thing for you."

"Yeah, yeah, getting on it, Boss man," Reno waved the man off as well as he headed towards his intended and should've been destination earlier.

Sephiroth had been having a haphazard morning; files upon files of reports that he was going to have to and being forced to sign off on regarding the Evaluations of the Materia Class he supervised over. They had been placed on his desk; every evaluation was the same, but as his hand grazed over Cloud's, he couldn't help but let a soft smirk spread against his lips. He could still recall back through his memory, the way the young man had attempted to fight off the man's advances on him, but even he knew that the Cadet was enjoying it. Gaia how he wanted to see that all again, but this time; he would have the young man tied into the chair, possibly gagged and blindfolded as to best and possibly deafen and blind the boy to the man's actions. A shivering purr ran down his back as he heard the sound that tore him from his daydream and threw him back into the Lion's Den of paperwork and intruding visitor.

Whoever they were, they were going to get the full frontal attack for ruining his daydreaming, "Come in."

"General Sephiroth," Tseng walked in and thankfully, the General had a way of hiding his emotions, "I've heard that you've been doing Evaluations for the Materia Class that had their exam a few days ago…I was asked to speak to a young man who wasn't in Class this afternoon."

Sephiroth softly sighed as he waved his hand up to the man, "I hate to interrupt you, Tseng, but, I _do _have work to do and you're slowing that process down…"

"The boy claims you did things to him that he did not wish for you to do…"Tseng's mouth creased into a hard line; thankfully, the man couldn't see the pencil breaking in the General's hand underneath the desk, "General, what do you have about this?"

A soft chuckle came from the man as he watched Tseng stare him over, "Tseng, have you ever had a young admirer? All of these Cadets see me as a God and they probably have their odd little fantasies about me and dream, even pray that one day, one day they'll get to meet their dream," the man paused as he shifted forward, pushing his chair out, "…And when they realize that their dream is now a reality; they don't know how to hold back their throes of interest for their dream figure; they _throw _themselves at their Idol. Just wishing they'll accept them back."

"That's all that happened, Tseng, the boy was overcome with seeing his Idol, me, and couldn't help himself; if something happened to him or me, or between us…It was harmless…"

A heaviness hung between the two men, "Need I remind you, General, you are a SOLDIER, as well as your place in ShinRa; ShinRa can't afford to have "let go" of one of its finest SOLDIERS. Especially if something like this was to get out."

As Tseng prepared to leave, Sephiroth quirked up with, "That would be a shame, seeing as how one of their _finest SOLDIERS _gone AWOL recently or were you not aware of that fact? Daydreaming in your office about something that can't be?" the General's words baffled the man; leaving Tseng to wonder what the General knew. Making him wary of whether or not the reason Cloud seemed skittish in talking about his encounter with the General had something to do in his interest in the boy while the General may have an interest in him.

Tseng took his leave, just in time for the General to glance down to the small cell clasped in his palm; a sign of a text message had been left on his phone and from an all too familiar caller I.D., a heavy growl left the man's lips, _"Genesis…"_

The message left nothing but anger in the man's thoughts as he read it, _"Oh how you wish you knew what only men could know...How you wish to know the feelings in return for another's feelings, but it seems, that Loveless has forbade you from such things...the Loveless of your heart has flown away, twice. Will you take flight to find the Loveless you seek or will you be left, with yet another day to ponder love? Think wisely, General...For Loveless, holds only for one person and to one heart, alone."_

To Sephiroth, the man's message read simply as if the man was, yet again quoting the mindless drabble of Loveless, but there was something about the man's message that left him wondering if Genesis had realized his interest in Cloud and could the man find a way or reason to harm the Cadet?

A.N.=XD woot! I hope all my lovely reviewers love it!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Something was always on Tseng's mind; the well being of a Turk on a mission and the successful completion of it, what others were doing, they weren't assigned to Missions; especially Reno. Curious to wondering thoughts would start to wonder about possible new threats against the President that would, per usual, be called into his office or dropped on his desk; to threats against the President's son. Lately, as his fingers played against the top of his desk; they were drumming out a soft tune that he had remembered from this childhood in the jungle like country of Wutai. There was a feeling that was nagging at him. He couldn't place what it was. If he hadn't known any better, he would've said it was his conscious telling him to pursue what the General had told him no more then a few days ago. After Tseng had left Cloud's bunk a few days prior regarding his absence, on the behest of his friends; Tseng had confronted the General regarding his "approach" towards the young blond Cadet, Cloud Strife. Sephiroth, as usual and like the man he was, brushed the incident off as nothing; claiming Cloud was the one that was out of his mind. Stating that the boy was nothing short of yet another little fan boy of his that once they had drank in the power of the man being around them; they seemed to not know what truly happened.

Putting it bluntly, the General out right stated that, the boy had his thoughts jumbled about what the General had meant about his actions when simply talking with the boy. Tseng's thoughts were nagging to the point that if they were to take a shape; he could've sworn it looked like the young Princess of Wutai, a kind of Ninja in training, Yuffie Kisaragi. As annoying as she had seemed in Wutai; having her in his thoughts now, was just as annoying and she was letting up while waving a kind of wooden form of a shuriken above her head, while threatening harm against Tseng. Especially if he didn't get, pardon her language for such a young lady, 'off his ass and do something about it,' he was going to find splinters in not such a nice place. He attempted to drown out the sound of the angry conscious Ninja in his head by drumming out an old folk song that his Mother had taught him for when he was annoyed. But she kept persisting and thank Gaia for there being no camera's in his office.

Because the Security Officer that would have to been watching his office would have to had report that the Head Turk had all about lost it as Tseng slammed his hand down on his desk.

"FINE! I'M GOING! I'M GOING TO GO FIND OUT THE TRUTH! YOU HAPPY NOW, YOU ANNOYING LITTLE NINJA PEST?!" Tseng waited for his conscious to catch up with his rage as he could sense was the inner self of him at the moment that had taken on the fury of a jungle tiger being petted and coaxed down by the Conscious Ninja, "…Heh. If this job doesn't kill me, just the utter stress from you is going to…"

With a soft giggle and hug around the scruff of the man's inner self, the conscious faded away as Tseng's footsteps took him towards the Security Office, _This better work or I'm going to have some apologizing to do to a seven foot tall silver haired Demi-God with a sword as long as him…and a report to make about a possible suicidal Cadet..._

~XXX~

"Going out somewhere, Mr. Tseng?" the young woman; that was as it seemed, Tseng's Secretary spoke up as she saw him walking out of his office.

Tseng simply nodded to her, "Yes, I'm going down to the Security Office to check on a report I've received recently about some possible surveillance of some possible curfew breaking Cadets."

With a nod of her head she went back to her work, but her voice stopped Tseng momentarily as she handed him a report that had just recently crossed her desk, "This came for you just now from the Teachers; its an evaluation about a particular Cadet in the classes…I know you don't handle Student Evaluations from the Teachers, but they said that it was at best that you read the report so as to figure out a course of action for the young man."

"Who is the student?" Tseng started to flip through the file, but as the Secretary prepared to answer; his face took a horrifying look upon itself as he saw who it was.

"C Class Cadet, Cloud Strife. It seems that he hasn't been himself lately; not paying attention in class, slight paranoia, nearly attacked a fellow Cadet with full force during Sword Practices a day or so ago; screaming something about that he wasn't going to let someone hurt him…"

It seemed that the General's actions against Cloud had left the boy scatterbrained and paranoid that it was going to happen again; not a combination that was qualities to look for in future SOLDIERS or Turks. Something had to be done. As he read on, he found that Cloud as of late, had been fumbling in his practice battles; cowering at the mere sight of anyone getting too close to him to the level of the boy would start shrieking like a banshee, crying out for the fellow Cadet to not touch him.

He was becoming an issue for the Teachers.

It could hurt the young and promising Cadet's chances for SOLDIER, if he had such plans. He was also becoming a liability issue for the Company; it was growing in close to when squads of Cadets that showed potential, would be getting the opportunity to be sent out on a small Mission alongside two SOLDIER escorts. Something had to give or change before then; he had to get Cloud the chance to take on the challenge because from what he had seen, even from the odd choice in friends he had, the boy had potential to go far. Letting that be destroyed because the General couldn't keep it in his pants was something he wasn't going to allow or allow it to be the reason a promising Cadet didn't fulfill his dream.

"Felicity, hold all my calls and other meetings for the rest of the day," Tseng remarked as he closed the file and placed it back on her desk before starting the walk to the Security Office.

"Not a problem, sir, will you still be going to ShinRa Mansion tonight on the behest of the President?"

He had nearly let the dinner date slip past his mind as he ran a hand down his face, "I'm still going tonight…I won't be long."

~XXX~

Sephiroth, at any other time, was a patient man; it was as if he was a man born with the soul of animal that waited in the shadows to pounce at the right moment and could just as easily get away with anything and everything. Lately, that patience had begun to grow thin. Urges for the young Cadet he had nearly had days prior were growing and growing, but they were soon being overshadowed by the cryptic and annoying text messages from Genesis. The man had all but destroyed his own phone of the days when he read the message that was later sent with a Photo by the man. Genesis was a handsome and beautiful man, but it seemed his morals were less then lacking at the moment from the proof the picture had shown. General Sephiroth was growing impatient as it showed as he drilled his nails against his own desk; his mind was still going over the messages Genesis had recently sent. They were almost taunting in their manner, taunting him in a way to come out and chase him down so that he could just run his sword through Genesis; while Genesis had other ideas for the sword. He could hardly look at his phone after that text message conversation, but now and again, the man would leave him messages with text, taunting him into the throes of anger.

His anger had been something to fear, even after the poor 3rd Class SOLDIER Grunt who found him self facing down the General's blade before the man had walked away. Sephiroth was become volatile and hostile towards others; Angeal had made sure to keep Zack at a distance the day he had seen the man leering Angeal up and down while having a small glint of lust in his eyes for the young Pup. Angeal had known that for time, Sephiroth had questioned taking on "training" the Puppy, but the way the man would word it and speak it out; he could have sworn in that time, he had heard a purr come from the man's lips. It frightened him, even to the point that he had made good on a promise to train with the silver haired General; it had been only then that he learned why the man was riled. Even to the point that Angeal couldn't look the man in the face without dredging up the memory of the General pinning him against the wall of the Training Room they had taken to training in that day while that man had ravished lips and before he could slip into his mouth. Angeal had played him off, at least that's what he had shown to Sephiroth; thank the Gods Zack had called him at just the right time regarding that he hadn't seen Cloud as jumpy as he seen him just a short few moments before he had called Angeal.

Everyone was catching on to the General; someone had rattled his cage and that was never a pleasant thing with Sephiroth.

~XXX~

"So, what is it that you want to check out, sir?" the head man of the Security room looked at Tseng with a look that seemed to say, 'You want to what?'

Tseng sighed to himself as he tapped at the monitor that was set up in Sephiroth's office, "I want the Security tapes from last week when the General was conducting the Post Meetings with the Cadets that had been pulled into the Materia Exam last week and don't tell me you don't have them," his gazed leered on the side of pissed off and annoyed, "Everyone knows that the General's office is monitored any time someone goes into the office with him."

The man turned back as he started to thumb through the videos till he came upon it, "Well, let's watch it then…" as the man prepared to pop it into the playback player; he turned back to Tseng, "Any particular reason sir?"

"Just let me watch it…it doesn't concern you, just something that was brought to my attention that the President asked me to look into; he thinks that the General has become a little _too _friendly with one of the Cadets…" Tseng's words drawled out as he watched the video play upon the moment that Cloud had been brought into the General's office; everything seemed fine up until the sight of the General crawling up into the Cadet's lap caught the man's attention, "…You sick little son of a…"

Thankfully, the Security officer had returned to his job and wasn't enhanced to hear the grumbling words coming from Tseng's lips or the sound of the man's teeth grinding together, even the growl that slowly worked its way through Tseng's throat, "You sick son of a…you lied right to my face…"

"…Thank you for letting me view this; would you mind if I took this with me to show to the President?"

The Security Officer merely shrugged, "Keep it, we keep copies of the videos should one of you guys need the hard copy for whatever particular reason."

How naïve the man had to be to not know what Tseng was planning on doing with the information, but was showing this to the President in his best interest? Would the man even take his word that Sephiroth had crossed the line with a Cadet and should be reprimanded? There would be no end to the words that would ramble out of that man's mouth when he heard from his prize Turk that the General should be punished for getting a little _too_ _close _with a Cadet. What harm was there in it? That's what he knew the man would say even if he hadn't shown the man the tape or hadn't confronted the President with the condemning evidence. Sephiroth was the prize toy of ShinRa. He could do no wrong in their eyes.

Or so it was thought.

An alarm started to ring through out the building of a possible attack in the Quad and that the General was involved in on the struggle that was going on with the attack; what was this place coming to?

~XXX~

"Hey, Spiky, what you doing out here in the Quad by yourself?" Zack sat down on one side of Cloud as he ran a ruffling hand through Cloud's spikes; any other time, the youth would've brushed it off and told Zack to stop but right now, he just needed that comfort, "…You okay there buddy?"

Cloud was silent as if holding back a scream of wanting to spill out why he was clammed up, but as he looked up towards Zack, Reno took to joining them on Cloud's other side, "What's up, kid? Missed you a lot recently…what's got you all spooked that anytime someone comes near you, you run off like a like a rabbit facing down a hungry wolf?"

"…The General…he…he tried to…"Cloud could hardly get the words out and they were incapable of getting out of his mouth as he felt a hand grab him around the throat as he was pulled from his sulking spot in the Quad by the leather gloved hand of the General, "NO! NO! LET ME GO!"

"CLOUD!" Zack and Reno simultaneously screamed out as a panic was thrown into the Quad as the two men charged at the General who was doing all he could to break the youth; an alarm was sounded as Zack fought tooth and nail to pry the General's enhanced from the youth's breaking throat.

Reno swore to himself as he realized he had left his newly acquired weapon, the EMR, at his desk, "Damn it!"

~XXX~

Moments before the General's break of human decency and self image, the man had been walking along the nearby cat walk towards his office; bumping into a hazy eyed Tseng. Luck was on Tseng's side as the General never once questioned the odd sound that came from under the man's jacket; if the man had at all suspected anything, all that he knew was the truth to help the worried mind of Cloud's mind would have been destroyed in that instant. Things were only destined to join down a different path that no one could've seen coming; Genesis was up to it again and this time, his message was almost as if he was taunting to take away the General's play thing. The man's message was more or less a sick game to make the great General break down and become Genesis little play thing.

There was only one solution in the General's mind…

…Break his supposed _play thing _before Genesis could break his _play thing, _or even at best, steal the _play thing _from the General.

No one was going to have him…

No one…

Only him…

But he had lost all sense ability once his eyes cast themselves upon the raven haired SOLDIER and fiery red headed Turk comforting his _play thing_; they had to be taken out before he could take out his _play thing_.

No one saw the General coming…Not even Cloud.

~XXX~

Tseng was hoping that the alarm blaring was simply a false alarm or prank by Cadets that had nothing better to do when they could've been studying for either exams or doing homework, but what he saw when he came upon the Quad. It would haunt his dreams that night if he was ever going to sleep that night; Cloud was slowly turning a shade of blue, as blue as his Cadet Uniform while Zack and Reno were doing everything short of sinking their teeth into the General's form. Other Cadets who had been in the nearby areas, hearing the sound of the alarm had clamored to cheer on the fight, but when they saw it was the General, attempting to kill one of their own. There were no sounds of egging on cat calls; there were screeches of pure horror while some of the older Cadets egged the General on. They seemed to believe it was only a test to see if the Cadet make it out of a similar experience should they find themselves faced with such a challenge; Zack and Reno, in the back of their minds were killing those Cadets a thousand other ways and that way in their heads as they fought to pry Cloud away. All Tseng could do was watch on in utter horror as the Cadet's eyes seemed to roll back in his head as Sephiroth's grip tightened and tightened upon the boy's throat, but something seemed to stop the onslaught.

"GET HIM OUT OF THERE!" Tseng screamed across the Quad as the Cadets began to scatter back to where they had come running from as Sephiroth seemed to drop the Cadet to the floor, "SEPHIROTH! STOP!"

Sephiroth seemed to only stop at the order, not because he had dropped the Cadet as he glanced over his shoulder towards the man as he watched Zack and Reno attempting to stir the half conscious blond, "…Be wary of how close you come to such people Tseng...You are of a particular breed; purebred shouldn't breed or intermix with the mongrels…Remember that."  
~XXX~  
"You really should return to your office, sir, the President has been called regarding Sephiroth's actions and he has told us that action shall be taken against the General for his actions today," the Infirmary Nurse tried to maneuver Tseng from the Infirmary and from Cloud's bed side, but the man's stare seemed to send a chill through her spine, "I assure you sir, I will call you should anything change with the young man."

Reno and Zack stood at the ready to pin the Turk should the man make any attempts to attack the woman; Tseng had all but nearly attacked the General for his smart remarks as he departed. He knew full well what the man meant; it had taken a firm hand to the man's shoulder by Reno to calm the man down and then just as much persuasion to follow them to the Infirmary. Cloud hadn't stirred since being brought to the Infirmary; Tseng was an utter loss as he felt there was nothing else he could do at the moment.

As his hand brushed past his coat for a second, he remembered the tape, "…To think I have the proof I need to get Sephiroth in trouble and I couldn't even see it coming that he was coming for you…" Tseng grunted to himself as he placed the tape down beside Cloud's bedside; Zack and Reno had taken to leaving the man with Cloud.

Reno had been ordered by Tseng to return to his work while Zack was ordered to report to Angeal, there had to be someone else he could bug besides Tseng and the unconscious blond at the moment. Neither man had wanted to leave their friend's side, but Tseng's gaze at Cloud seemed to say otherwise as they waved their silent goodbye to their friend. Once alone, Tseng leaned forward as he brushed fingers against the blonde's forehead, sighing at the sight; such a young and youthful young man and yet, he was troubled so deeply. His fingers began to trace down Cloud's face till they were about the youth's neck.

With a jolt, Cloud awoke, nearly screaming, "Calm down, Cadet…calm down…it's alright…it's alrig---" Tseng felt cut off as he felt Cloud's arms wrap around his neck; softly sobbing against the man's jacket, "Cadet?"

"…I thought he was going to kill me before I had the chance to say what I've wanted to say to you for so long…"Cloud's voice was muffled by his face being buried in against Tseng's shirt and jacket as well as his sobs, "…I've had the strangest dreams since our first meeting and I've realized now…"

Tseng pulled Cloud away from his chest as he looked into the soft blue eyes, pooling with tears; he wasn't prepared for what the blond was going to say next, but with a swift kick in the backside from the conscious Ninja in his head, "…Shhh, its okay…I'm here now…"

Cloud was scared but yet confused as he looked into Tseng's face, "Y-You…You aren't…upset…"

"Its hard to be upset at someone when I've got a kind of little Ninja in my head threatening to beat me up if I'm not nice to you and hear you out…"for the first time, Tseng, actually seemed to chuckle as he just gathered Cloud into his arms, cuddling him in a sense, "…You aren't the only whose had strange dreams since then…and I guess, the only way to know that they meaning anything is to…"

"Is to what?" Cloud softly blushed as he waited for Tseng to answer, but all he received was the one thing he had dreamt of in the strange and awkward dreams; Tseng actually kissed him.

Cloud felt he should've pushed it away after the General had attempted the same thing, but Tseng's kiss felt warm, inviting, _real…_There was no denying it now even as Cloud, slowly, wrapped his arms around Tseng's neck. Deepening the kiss by only a fraction of it all, but Tseng seemed to relax into it till they parted; a blush was shared between them both as the man pecked the youth's lips once again before they began to lightly chuckle between the two of them. Tseng opted to stay with Cloud as long as he wished for the man to stay and as far as Cloud could see it; it didn't matter how long Tseng stayed, they were finally pass blushing at one another in passing. This was real for once; all of those dreams were finally being realized and answered. All that mattered now was…how to face down the General and assuring that he didn't attempt to break him once again.


	8. wares for sale

**Chapter8**

Genesis had been an annoyance on Sephiroth's radar but to the rest of ShinRa; he was simply another case of an AWOL SOLDIER who would get his just desserts in the end by means that ShinRa was that not short of revealing to others to make an example of AWOL SOLDIERS. But as for the man, he was living as if he was merely considered a statistic of lost SOLDIERS on a mission gone wrong; if only that was the case. The man had been hiding out in and around the local shops of Edge, keeping a low profile as to his whereabouts and reasons for spending his days wondering through Wall Market. His gaze was illusive and alluring as they gazed out over the lit up shop windows, wooden carved signs that told the gazing eyes what the shop sold to various clients. Nothing within the ordinary side of Wall Market seemed to appease or peak his interests as his feet started to carry him towards a darker side of the quiet little marketplace. Dim lights of shop windows started to become colorful lights with music that one would hear if one was to entreat to the sights and sounds of a hazy and dark shop where the women wore little to no clothing. Sounds of acted out sounds of pleasure heard during actions that would only be heard between a married couple to celebrate their Wedding Night to the halls of the illusive Honey Bee Inn started to come out of shops.

"Lotions, potions, powders, get them all here to allure that special someone…we assure you that they will not fail you to bring you what you want," a woman dressed in scanty scraps of lace and ribbon stood outside one of these such shops with an old cigarette sellers crate in front of her, "Don't be shy, if you don't think they'll work, you can always try them on a lucky little woman over at the exclusive Honey Bee Inn…"

The wares were tucked well against her blossoming bosom as she shifted her weight and balance side to side on the high inched heels that she was enduring to sell the goods that the shop sold, "Care to try our latest little miracle potion, good sir?"

Genesis could care less for the risqué and lingerie clad feminine beauty or the gloss upon her lips that she licked now and again as if to entice the man in for an extra "service" that she didn't offer for free, "I'm looking for a _particular _potion…"

"I'm sure we have what you need, good sir…is it for a special person that has stolen your woeful heart," creak when her rubber heels as the crate shifted under bosom, making it shift about in such a way, "Or do you need that special _pick me up_ for when the little soldier doesn't want to snap to attention?"

"I assure you…I don't need such help," Genesis would've sneered at her, but that would've made alluring the woman into his service for help; he needed her to help him find what he needed to make Sephiroth his, "There is a special person I have fallen for, but it seems _she _is rather hard to get to or have _her _taken notice that I love _her_. Got anything for the stubborn type?"

A snake could've been jealous and turn green with envy it had seen the smirk that allured across the young woman's alluring painted lips as well as the flickering of her painted eyes, "Give me five more minutes and I'll be sure to show you my Boss' _secret selection_ cabinet…He only opens it for certain clients and I can tell," her lower teeth began to nibble at her lower lip as she eyed the man up and down; oh the things she could've done with him, "You _are _one that could use his special selection…"

"Good…" Genesis could've purred out the words and made it sound like a snake's pleased hiss as he chuckled to himself, stealing away to a local shop to eye over a selection of unique "toys" that he was questioning to acquire before he made his way back to the ShinRa Compound.

Keeping to being inconspicuous was a task that was rather easy for Genesis; he had done it since he had been a boy. As a boy, his father had been too busy with matters with being the Mayor of their small village which meant that the young boy Genesis had all the time in the world to find hiding places from the servants and even his Mother. Hiding had become a trait that Genesis would later carry over into SOLDIER and as it seemed, it was becoming an asset and trait that was working well for the man, but it seemed; it would also be something that could help to his advantage. His eyes fell on a young man that should've known better then to not be wearing the casual wear a ShinRa Cadet Program uniform. It could mean bad publicity and image for the company, there was only one thing to do to help change that.

"You know, if I were you, which I use to be, I wouldn't be caught out here wearing a uniform that distinguishes me from being from a ShinRa Electric Power Company Program; it looks like a black stain on their record," Genesis called out to the skittish young Cadet he watched jump at the sound of a Superior Officer catching the young man, "And I'm sure your parents wouldn't like to be the mockery of your home village to know their son was dishonorably discharged for being found in a dirty part of Wall Market in Edge when they were suppose to be in the Compound at all times."

Fear was in the eye of the beholding eyes of the Cadet as the young man tried to hide away the bag in his hands from Genesis' gaze as he fumbled to make a miserable attempt at a salute, "S-Sorry sir, I was just looking for something to send home to my girl…s-she…she said that we couldn't do it when I go home for break in a couple of weeks if I didn't have protection!"

At least for now, Genesis was willing to be lenient, "Relax young ward…" the man waved the boy off as he waved him towards him, "I want you to do a little favor for me…"

"A-Anything sir," fear was still wavering in the boy's throat, but the feel of Genesis' gloved hand against his face seemed to make the boy snap to attention and listen as he felt the man's lips against his ear, "…S-Sir?"

"I know that you boys are suppose to be having an Intern Time coming up at the Compound…I want you, to make sure, that a blond cadet known as Cloud Strife's name is in the bowl for the pull…with my name on the back," Genesis was grinning from ear to ear, "Don't question why, just do it."

"Y-Yes…Yes sir," a gulp could be heard rolling down the boy's throat as Genesis pulled away, "Excuse me sir, but I must be getting back before curfew or I'll be in trouble."

Genesis nodded to the boy as he watched the boy away, but the feeling of being close to one person became clouded by the feminine perfume of the woman from before as he felt her arms wrap around him from before and place something in his pocket, "…It's called Eternal Desire, add a few drops of this into anything; food or drink, and within a matter moments, the one that takes it, they'll be unable to turn you away…" a soft peck was left on Genesis' cheek as the woman pulled away, "Don't be a stranger around here, sugar…Come on by and see me at the Honey Bee Inn sometime, I'll make sure that you're treated _really _well…"

"Thanks, but I don't think I'll be back anytime soon," Genesis pulled away as he headed towards the Compound; _and I mean that…Sephiroth __**will **__be mine and only mine._

It was almost lights out by the time the wayward and nervously skittish Cadet managed to make it back to his bunk in the room he shared with a few other Cadets before the Superior that wandered their hall came around. Head counts were taken each night to assure that each and every Cadet was accounted for and was in their bunk and dorm by the time lights out came around. Anyone that was unaccounted for were later searched for and once found, were punished with the possibility of rank and pay deducted which for some that came from lower class like villages; it meant something for them. It meant that when their release time to visit their families would come around; the unlucky Cadet would be finding them selves without the money to go home. This usually meant they would have to explain why they are unable to come home.

"Man, you are cutting close this time," remarked one of the older Cadets as the skittish Cadet threw one of his socks at the boy's head, but when it missed, the others laughed under their breath, "We managed to cover for you during Practice this afternoon, but you owe us big time for this."

"Don't worry, I'll make it up to you…"the Cadet remarked as he hid the wrapped package under his pillow, "Do any of you remember a SOLDIER with auburn red like hair and a kind of dark copper red trench coat?"

Eyes turned to everyone in the dorm as no one wanted to be the first to speak up, "Why?"

"Because I think he's the SOLDIER that went AWOL, and I saw him when I was _out; _isn't there any kind of reward on the missing SOLDIER?" skittish Cadet seemed to be getting braver with each word.

"I think so, wasn't his name, Gens-something?"

"You mean, Genesis? Like the first book of the Old Testament of the Bible?"

"That's him!"

"You saw him?"

Footsteps could be heard outside their door as the boys grew quiet until they heard the footsteps walk away, "Yeah, I think so…why is he missing anyways?"

"No one knows, but I think we should shut up and go to sleep before the Superior comes back and busts us."

"Night guys."

"Night."

Genesis' words of order seemed to stay on the skittish Cadet's tired mind as his eyes began to close, but the image of the man so close to his face made him shiver in his blankets; what connection did he have with the scrawny Cadet, Cloud Strife?

They say, 'it's the quiet ones you have to worry about', if there was a way to shake that individual's hand then Tseng would've wished to be able to do that. It had only been a few days since he had confessed his interest to Cloud in the Infirmary and yet, there was no word on what was going on with Sephiroth. No one had inquired as to the General's whereabouts as well as well being ever since his near fatal attack on the skittish Cadet, Cloud Strife. Not knowing where or what the man was up to set Tseng on edge and worried him for the sake of the young blond, but in the days following the attack; Tseng had taken to spending his free time with the blond. As much as he hated to admit it, being with the boy with his friends, Zack and Reno, he could be a more outgoing person; he had Cloud to thank for that. Cloud seemed to beam a smile of bright hope towards Tseng every chance he got that seemed to bring a joy to Tseng's day that he couldn't explain, but that joy was slowly being piled away into a box when he got a report on his desk. It was more like an order from the President to inquire as to what was going on with the General because in a way Sephiroth was like a prize stud to President ShinRa who could've been seen as a breeder of future, well versed and beautiful offspring of Sephiroth. Tseng didn't want to bother with the man; he wanted nothing more then to stick to him with the information he knew regarding the man's come on to the Cadet that may have had something to do with his attack on the boy.

With a heavy sigh, Tseng made his way for Sephiroth's office, "Hold my calls; I've got to check in on the General and make my report…If the President calls…"

"I'll let him know whether or not you'll be running late tonight to the dinner at his home, sir," the secretary beamed as Tseng chuckled to himself, "Don't worry, I know how things are."

"What would I do without you?" Tseng seemed to smile for the first time towards the woman.

"You would probably be running around here like a Chocobo with its head cut off, sir."

"_I have a surprise that I've been assured will work every time…I can't wait to use…be ready and waiting for me, my love…"_the text message seemed to instill a sense of anger in Sephiroth as he read the message, but the part that infuriated him was the last line.

Sephiroth closed the phone as he sighed, "…Stupid fool…stupid, annoying fool," the man was less then thrilled by the image that had come with the man's latest text message.

Genesis' photo of the flask had been enough of a reason for Sephiroth to delete it, especially as the man's enhanced hearing picked up the sound of footsteps coming towards his office. There was a small handful of people that it could be, one of them being, Tseng. Even the sound of the knock upon his door was trademarked to Tseng, what did that man want? Didn't he already have the answers he was seeing regarding the Cadet already?

"Coming," Sephiroth grumbled as he walked to the door, cracking it open as he spotted the trademark slicked back raven hair and dot upon Tseng's forehead, "What do I owe the honor of the Head of the Turks coming down here to visit me?"

Tseng pushed the door open as he closed it behind him, "I'm here not on my own accord; I've been asked to make a report and find out what caused your behavior a few days regarding the Cadet, Cloud Strife. President Shinra is rather upset and appalled by your behavior and would like an answer as to what caused it, so," the man turned to face the General, a look of utter seriousness crossed his features, "What caused your little rampage against a harmless Cadet?"

Where was he to start? Get to the bare bones truth that he wanted to destroy, or at least, harm the Cadet in a manner that he had to be relieved of the Program to save him from being harmed or taken advantage of as a way to bait the General. Especially bait him into becoming the play toy for the auburn haired little mongoose that was out on the loose in a hen house of civilians who hardly knew who he was. Or cover it up that it is all chalked up to a botched Mako injection in which the President could just simply berate the idiotic as it may have seemed, scientists in the lab. Yes, create a scapegoat. That was something he could do, but…was it really him? Creating scapegoats for misbehavior and misdeeds, especially misdeeds, had as always been Genesis' way of getting out of compromising situations. Misbehavior was the Puppy's department, but that couldn't happen right now since the Puppy was at best in the company of Angeal. Sephiroth laid his cards out on the table as he raised his hands up in a non threatening gesture as a calm but hidden agenda, like smirk crossed his face.

"I must apologize for my behavior that day, Hojo suggested that the Mako injection that I receive each week be upped and my body wasn't use to such amounts coursing through my veins, so I guess you can blame the Mako," Sephiroth chuckled nervously to himself as he watched Tseng's face for a glimmer as to whether or not he had taken the bold face lie, "I truly meant no harm to the young man…If there is any way I may---"

Tseng's eyes glared hard on the man's face, "I think it best that you maintain your distance from the boy because it suggested that you should because he seemed slightly traumatized…we do not need a promising young Cadet such as that boy being compromised. No offense, General."

"None taken," it may have seemed that Sephiroth did not seem offended by Tseng's remarks; he was hiding the boy from him, good, all the better chance he had of finding him when Tseng wasn't looking and harming him in private, "And the remark I made to you the other day when you were helping the boy…"

Tseng's glare laid on him again, "As I you said General; 'blame it on the Mako.'"

"I must leave now to make my report, good day, General," Tseng remarked as he turned and walked out.

Once Tseng had left the room, Sephiroth seemed to sink back into his seat, a smug grin on his face that says, _Such an easy man to lie to...and to think, he's a Turk; they should know and be able to see through such deceptions_.

"Well, everything checks out fine, there seems to be no problems, you've healed from the General's attack on you and you've been attending the psychological visits we've asked you to do," his chart closed with a clap as the Doctor's face beamed with much joy, "You passed with flying colors; you can go back to your classes now."

Cloud nodded in agreement as he took his leave; heading for his classes without regard for the stares he was receiving, for some as they saw him walking the hall, he was like a walking billboard for Cadets that had gotten as close as they had to the General. To others, Cloud was merely a walking billboard for jealousy; to be touched by the man, even if it wasn't in a manner that shouldn't have been afforded him in a violent way. Jealousy was spiking through them as Cloud blushed on his way to his classes, but Reno seemed to catch up with him in the Hall.

"Hey Cloudy boy! You're out of the whacko basket!" Reno beamed as he ruffled Cloud's hair, playfully.

For the first time in a long time, Cloud merely chuckled at his friend, "I wasn't locked up in the Psych Ward, all I had to do was visit it as the Doctor had suggested after the attack and I'm good to go now…"

"Good! Because Zack has been going bonkers and its about driven Angeal batty with trying to keep his Puppy on a leash, in more then one way, if you know what I mean," Reno's eyebrows seemed to wiggle at Cloud.

"What do you mean?" a pure look of innocence crossed Cloud's face.

Reno groaned as he ran a hand over his face before patting his friend on the backside playfully towards class, "I'll tell you after class, or you can ask Zack later when we go out to celebrate your clean bill of health!"

"Alright, but…don't let anyone know this but…I…I…I kissed Tseng in the Infirmary after the attack and…I think, I think we're maybe a couple now…"Cloud seemed to blush ear to ear as Reno stared on before tackling his friend again, ruffling him up more then before.

The sounds of Cloud's squawking for Reno to get off him and that he wouldn't share details with him because it would mean having to kill him seemed to draw a small crowd, but it was later dispersed by the sound of the bell for classes ringing through the Halls. Everyone seemed to not pay attention to Cloud's entrance, not even the Teachers; not a single Teacher of Cloud's classes bothered to inquire as to why Cloud had been missing from courses the last 3 days. They had all been informed, secretly, by Tseng as to the boy's whereabouts and what had been the reason for his missed times; all that was waiting for Cloud now was homework and lots of it. Some snickers had started to form up in the higher rows of seats in each class; even some rumors, vicious at best regarding the rumored relationship he had started with the Head of the Turks. Some were calling it 'sleeping with the enemy' while others considered it an act of desperation to get acknowledged to be considered for SOLDIER at best. Even some of the students that were starting the rumors were beginning to send him glares; just when he was starting to feel better about everything, this all starts.

Lunch period was exceptionally cruel; no one wanted the boy to sit near them, aside from his typical crowd which was mainly Zack and Reno, "Hey Spiky, Reno told me the news that you're now sane…and…Cloud? What's wrong? I thought you would be happy to be out of there and back on the road of sane people?" Zack took a glance over his friend's face as he saw tear stains had been forming since his last class, "Cloud, what's wrong?"

"Nothing…it's nothing, Zack…these are tears of joy, see?" Cloud was trying to put a happy spin on it, but it was failing much like he was failing to let the rumors and glares, even dark taunts that were thrown his way in the halls, to not get to him.

Reno looked to the crowds of students who had snapped back to attention away from the table and resumed to eating their lunch as if they hadn't been watching the cry baby scene going on, "Zack, would you help me with a little project I'm going to do here in the Cafeteria?" his smirk prompted Zack to jump to attention and realize what Reno had in mind.

"With pleasure," Zack almost purred as he jumped onto the table while Reno jumped on another, "Hey! You little jerks! You think you have one over on this kid, well, he's got more balls then you guys ever will! At least I don't wet my bed at night, or suck my thumb with a child hood plush under my arm or write out on my desk where it is clear as day for anyone to see that you have a crush on another guy in your class!"

The murmurings and rumors were halted in that one single day. No one dared speak ill of Cloud ever again, especially if they knew that Zack and Reno were going to bring out their darkest secrets into the open where their fellow classmates and Cadets could hear about it and then throw back in their faces later. If Cloud didn't appreciate Reno and Zack yet; he was going to be forever in their debt till the day he died or some disaster found him out and killed him.

Things felt, awkward, Tseng didn't mind being invited to the President's house for dinner now and again since the man tended to live alone and Gaia forbid the man even eat anything. Tseng had his pride and if he wished to not eat, then he wouldn't eat, but he wish he could even now that he had the President's son making eyes at him and eying him up and down like a dog after a steak. Small conversation was made, but nothing beside the usual, but when the issue regarding the General came up; Tseng had not been ready to talk about it. He had been pondering and contemplating the General's words that afternoon; blaming his actions all on a fouled up Mako injection, as if it was to be believed; Tseng kept replaying his past meetings and run ins with the General over and over in his mind like a tape on replay. There was something there that the General was hiding; he was rather clever about hiding his true feelings and what really was going on with him. Angeal had tried once he had befriended the General after being introduced to the man through Genesis; even back then Genesis had a thing for the man, but Angeal was still feeling a slight tug of interest in his childhood friend that he later pushed aside as merely a silly crush. When he had attempted to confront the General once after a routine exercise regarding his general mood and demeanor towards others; the man had all but sliced Angeal in half, claiming that if he wanted the man to know anything about him; he would've opened his mouth and told him his life story. Genesis had been less then thrilled towards the General's general demeanor towards his friend, assuring Angeal that he would talk to the General about what happened.

That's when they covering for everything he did started.

Genesis may have seemed fickle and weak, but he could see the man's cold hearted lies even to the point of drawing closer to the General to draw him out of his shell, but there was a slight twinge as time drew on that he might've become more of a nuisance to the grand General instead of a friend. Tseng had seen the behavior in the man after he had confronted him with the tape, or more or less, proposed evidence that he had regarding his behavior with Cloud. Then approaching him regarding his actions towards the Cadet days later to the point of nearly killing the boy; he could tell the General was trying to hide something, something of the means of affection towards the boy.

"So, Tseng, what has become of our grand issue with General Sephiroth?" President Shinra pushed his plate away as the help came in to clear away the half eaten dishes; Tseng silently reprimanded the maid as he made a motion as to say he was still eating, "What did you find out about his reason for attacking the young Cadet that he has made advances towards once and nearly killed in the Quad the other day?"

How to put it into the simplest terms without coming out that the reason the General may have acted as he had been was because he was dealing with a crush on the side that he didn't share the same liking to and wanted to keep the one he had his eyes on safe from the psychotic crush? Or at least that's what he got out of Angeal the evening after he had kissed Cloud in the Infirmary.

"Tseng?"

The man sighed as he closed his eyes momentarily, "Eyewitness accounts and first hand testimony from the General state that the man has been under an unknown form of stress lately and the possibility of a strange strain of Mako injection he received may have triggered is unusual behavior," Tseng waited to see if the President would take it as truth.

A smirk crossed the President's face, "If that is all…" the man rose to leave the table, "Rufus, if you would so kindly see Tseng out for the evening, we have nothing more to discuss."

"…Yes Father," the young boy wasn't more then a faintly teenager who was fragile in his frame and in almost every way, aside from the way his hair was kept; he looked almost the same image as Cloud.

It left a deep ache in Tseng's heart; he had hardly known the boy when he had kissed with such a passion in the Infirmary, but to see someone almost like him here, and related to the man that was his Boss; it was too much. Tseng rose as he saw the young man coming towards him as he took to following the young Shinra towards the front door, but something caught the man off guard as the young teen stopped Tseng midway.

"…Is something wrong?" Tseng questioned, but a slim finger pressed against his lips as the young Shinra leaned in against his neck, his nose brushing, just barely, against the lobe of Tseng's ear, "R-Rufus?"

Without warning the boy grabbed a hold of Tseng's ear lobe as he pulled him down towards his level, lapping at the faint bit of blood he had drawn on the man's sensitive lobe as he whispered into his ear, "…I've been watching you from a far for a while…why don't you come up to my room with me and we can talk some more…you're a very intellectual figure and I like that in people…" Rufus' lips seemed to purse around the now healed lobe as to suckle on it.

Tseng wanted to push away, but the boy had a hold on him like he couldn't imagine, but when his conscious seemed to kick in; it kicked in hard, armed with a Shuriken and a pocket full of various others at the ready, his mind sparked back to Cloud's innocent and angelic face. A look of pure innocence that had laid all his faith in the man to take care of him and love him the same as they had shared in their peculiar dreams that neither had managed to realize till then.

"N-No…"Tseng gently pushed on the young man's shoulders as he started to gather his thoughts about him, but it was hard when he had his conscious that looked much like the young Wutian Ninja Princess, Yuffie, threatening bodily harm to him if he let this go any further, "…I can't do that…"

Rufus seemed crushed by the utter blow it left to his ego, "…There is someone else…isn't there?" the boy's eyes began to mist over as he chewed on his lower lip; "…It's always like that…isn't it?"

"I'm sorry…"Tseng blushed as he brushed a strand of the boy's hair out of his face, "It's just…my heart and everything else about me already belong to someone else...someone very similar to you, maybe even just as fragile as you...I'm sorry."

Rufus seemed to blush as he giggled to himself, "I understand…I guess I'm just as wily as one of your Turks," a smirk seemed to cross his face, "I'm sure you know of him…"

Tseng didn't want to question who of all people it could be; he simply smiled as patted the young man on the shoulder, "If you'll excuse me, I must get back to the office…good night, young Shinra."

"Good night, Tseng…I hope you're happy with the one that's captured such a Wutai beauty such as yourself…"Rufus' face was cracked in a soft smirk that left Tseng blushing; would Cloud ever make such remarks to him? Could he find him beautiful and enrapturing as Rufus was considering him to be?

"N-Night…"

Cloud felt dizzy as he walked back to his room with Reno singing out of tune and loudly for that matter with Zack playing the sober party; for a Cadet with morals that had been raised by a single mother without word as to whether or not a father existed. One would have thought Cloud wouldn't have been easy to fall to temptation of alcohol, but with friends like Zack and Reno; it wasn't easy to follow one's morals. Zack seemed to shake his head at his two friends, especially Reno; Reno should've known better then to let someone as young, as well as skinny, as Cloud to drink the hard liquor that Reno had dared Cloud to drink. There was going to be Hell to pay come tomorrow morning, tomorrow was when the Students that had shown high marks in their classes were going to be given their extra curricular duties since it seemed they had nothing else better to do. And ShinRa was hoping that it would give the lucky few a chance to see the inner workings of ShinRa should their plans that they came with not pan out for them so as to have a back up, just in case. Just another side of ShinRa hoping to promote the values of people who were nothing more then low ranking in ShinRa's eyes to have equal opportunities. Cloud had found himself among the students to partake in the program, but right now, the program he wanted to find himself in right now was in the shape of a porcelain throne as well as a plug for Reno's mouth. The man's voice was ripping through his already spinning head.

"Why did I let you guys talk me into going out tonight to celebrate something so stupid…?" Cloud grumbled as he held his head between his hands; his stomach was doing what his mind was imagining it was doing.

Reno chuckled to himself before giggling as he attempted to silence himself, "Because Cloud, it was fun and you need to loosen up…especially since you're hooked up with my Boss, you two are opposites but one of you needs to be the odd man out to make things interesting."

Zack rolled his eyes, "Come on, Reno, Cloud is already having it bad enough without you blabbing nonsense."

"No…he's right…"Cloud stopped in his tracks as his stomach and head seemed to settle down momentarily, "I do need to be a little more out of character, but only a little, because…"the blush crossing his face was either from the alcohol or the fact he was imagining Tseng's smiling face when the man and he came to the utter conclusion of their wild dreams, "…because…Tseng and I…we are in love with one another and…after you guys left…he kissed me, I finally understand the weird dreams I've been having lately. It was Tseng…even from the first time you and I ran into him Zack…"

"Aww, how swe---bleh!" Reno seemed to know how to ruin a moment as Zack rolled his eyes, "Congrats buddy! Now you've just got to nail him!"

"RENO!" Zack growled through clenched teeth as took the inebriated redhead back towards his room, "Get some rest Cloud, you're going to need it…and congratulations about Tseng…"

Zack lead the red head away as Reno began to sing off key a song that even Cloud couldn't help snickering at; Reno may have had a weird taste in music such as the Bloodhound Gang's song about animals getting it on, but it helped liven up the mood. Cloud peeked into his room which he shared with a few other Cadets; they were out like lights as Cloud slunk into the room, hoping to get to his bed without waking anyone up; he had been out past curfew which was bad. Getting caught now wasn't in the card, but as he lied down to sleep, even in his clothes, he heard his phone go off.

"…Mmnh…now what?" with bleary eyes, he pulled his cell phone which held a text message on it from a number he didn't recognize, but the one who sent it, the name was at the bottom of the message.

_Cloud, I was wondering if you would be free this weekend; I would like to treat you to dinner at my home and to possibly discuss…us. Please reply as soon as you can._

_-Tseng_

A soft blush crossed his face as he pocketed the phone but not without looking at it once more and answering back, _I should be free this weekend…if I'm not tied up with anything extra to the extra curricular program starting up tomorrow…I would enjoy your company very much…Can't wait for this weekend_

_-2__nd__ Class Cadet, Cloud Strife_

"…Tonight was really good," Cloud whispered to himself as he pulled the covers over his head; everything about the violent hangover that had been working its way through his body and head seemed to dull out at the roar of something else now.

Tseng softly smiled to himself as he placed the phone on the bedside table; his hands crossed behind his head as tried to drift off to sleep, but the image of the young Rufus Shinra, hurt, that he didn't share his feelings was still on his mind. He hadn't seen the face of the President's son in Rufus' face; he had seen Cloud, and only Cloud. Just that look made him think of how Cloud would have looked had he told the boy that he did not share the feelings that Cloud felt for him.

_No…I never could have done that to such a sweet faced young man as him…_

Genesis may be overall, a conniving, deceitful, at times annoyance that can not help but use verses from the well loved novel that never left the man's possession to clear up the air whenever he, Sephiroth and Angeal would fight together for fun. But there were times; he could have seemed like a sane man that could have easily been your friend and a respectful neighbor that you would have no problems letting your children playing in the front yard without fear that he would harm them. The side that was showing as the man slinked through the darkened halls of the Dormitories, heading towards the Higher End where the ones in SOLDIER slept; he had plans. Planning was never something you wanted to know with Genesis, plans sometimes that involved someone hurt for the utter convince of Genesis.

Tonight…was such a night.

"Tonight…Tonight…"Genesis hummed the wayward musical tune to himself as he seemed to, he would never admit it later even if drunk; he was _skipping _down the halls till he found himself in front of a familiar door, "…Tonight, I get lucky and the Great General…finally gets his ass knotted out of a knot by someone who cares about his well being…and needs to get laid before some other harlot decides to take him from me."

Genesis glared as he prepared himself to knock on the man's door, going through the motions of how he was going to work his way into the man's room; now, if he could only gather up the courage to do it even with the balls to back it up. With a faint knock he was greeted by a surly faced man, Sephiroth.

"What do you want at this hour?" Sephiroth glared at the man, but in a mere flash, everything that happened after greeting the man at the door was merely a blur.

Hope you liked this one guys!! Ja ne!


	9. Assist me

Chapter 9

You know that feeling you get when you wake up and find that there is something, or in Sephiroth's case, _someone _in bed with you and all that can be thought to be said is, 'What did I do last night and am I wearing underpants?' Sephiroth's world was much like that as he awoke the next morning on the sofa of his office, but thankfully for him; that half of the mental question was answered. But the question as to why there were bite marks on his neck and on various other parts of his upper torso that he couldn't account for was a question on his mind this morning. Even when he looked over to the backside of the sofa that had somehow, mysteriously, had found its way wedged out from the wall that it usually against the wall. He found a softly snoring with a grin that could turn a Cheshire cat's stripes from their usual color to the color of envy man behind his sofa; it was Genesis. Yet again, the mental question popped up but with coarse language that Sephiroth would swear he never knew such words.

Something was off and whoever was responsible for placing this man in his office with him and possibly slipping whatever kind of gas through the vents was going to hear about it later or in this case, now. Genesis started to stir from his hiding place behind the sofa as he greeted Sephiroth with a kittenish grin that looked like it belong on an imp, but that smile soon disappeared. All the way up to the President's Office; even as far as Tseng's office, the sounds of a monstrous roar could be heard throughout the building putting every man as well as small number of women on alert to the possibility of a Monster loose in the Compound. The alert would later be called off when it was revealed that a put down, angry, moody auburn haired SOLDIER who had been AWOL for the past two weeks strolled through the Halls towards a Department that he hadn't been to in weeks, even months; he was facing down the President for his actions. Everyone was watching as he took what could've been considered a death march with Sephiroth's leering gaze on his back.

That's when everyone decided it best to scatter and get back to their lives.

Rumors started to spread by mid-afternoon when classes were beginning that it was possible that the General and the AWOL SOLDIER were having a lover's spat when the sounds of a stray Monster was heard. There were some that suggested that it was something else, making remarks about the size of the General's "sword", in various ways of both the object and physical anatomy. Students were becoming like giggling school girls while some didn't bother to keep up with the gossip; all they cared about was getting into either being a Turk or SOLDIER as soon as possible and away from the childish ones. Cloud couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he seemed to overhear in passing the sounds of the whispers going on; it was like living at home again in Niblehiem, the wives would usually gather in the Town Square and gossip about the latest gossip. His Mom was never one for keeping her ear to the ground for such trash talk and she had raised him to not be such a person. When others approached him with information he would politely turn them down and they would run off to another person that would be willing, but that sort of thing is hard when you're best friends are hounds for gossips.

"So, Cloudy boy…you excited about the upcoming Project you've got to do with the rest of those eggheads in the class?" Reno seemed to smirk at his friend; even Cloud's attention was drawn more to a textbook on High Class Materia, "Hello, earth to Cloud Daniels Strife, you in there?"

Reno wasn't given a second to respond before Cloud was on him with the textbook closed soundly next to his head, "…Don't you EVER repeat my middle name again…And besides," as if nothing had happened and as if the young man hadn't lost his temper just then, "…How do you know my middle name? That's classified documentation that no one other then a…Oh, yeah, I forgot…You're a Turk."

"Sorry about that Cloudy boy, but you never answered my question; you excited about your upcoming Student Assistant Project? Who do you think you'll get?" Reno's bony elbow prodded into Cloud's ribs playfully, "Maybe Tseng?"

A rush of dusty blush crossed Cloud's face at the thought of being assigned to Tseng as a Student Assistant; the Student Assistant program was new to the Company, more or less, it was yet another wonderful 'brought to you by the ShinRa Electric Power Company; assuring you a better future while we screw with your body to the molecular level' idea. The concept for the project was to allow the students within the Cadet Program; no matter their rank to be paired up for a week or two with someone of a High Class, be it a SOLDIER or Turk to gain an insight into the world of their job. As to give a sense of what to expect should the Student find himself in the position they were assisting in and to gain insight to another field. Should their field of study and choice fall through on them for whatever reason there may be. Cloud had been excelling in his classes even before the run in with the General and even after the run in with the General; he had been excelling, excelling to the standard that he had been picked among a small handful of other students to participate in the new Program.

"…It would be nice if I could picked to be with him, but…"the young blond began to blush and become as nervous as a girl who was face to face with her crush for the first time, "…it would be kind of awkward in a way…neither of us would get any work done because we'd probably spend most of our time getting to know one another and…and…"

Reno chuckled as he placed a hand on his worried friend's shoulder, "Don't sweat it, I'm sure whoever you get paired up with will be an okay guy or gal to work with. Just remember, you're doing this because you've earned it. Try and have a little fun, loosen up, alright?"

"Or what; are you going to string me up a flag pole?" Cloud smirked as he playfully shoved his friend as the sound of the class bell rang, "If I don't show up for food in a few days, call out a search party for me."

Reno laughed off the blonde's remark, "You'll be fine, get your butt to class before you end up in detention."

"I thought that was your department, Reno," Cloud turned off around the corner with a smile on his face that neither Reno or Zack had seen in many days; maybe it was a good thing he was hooked up with his Boss, _Don't do him wrong, Tseng…Cloud's a nice kid…a little skittish, but he's a nice kid…_

A soft whine broke from a pair bruised lips as hands scrambled to lock harder around the strong neck, but the whine became a soft, hurt whimper as soft puppy dog like eyes cast down to the cat walk, "I already gave you a treat, twice now, you don't need more or else you'll…" a soft playful smirk crossed the voice's lips as fingers playfully plucked and tickled at the sides of the whimpering young man, "…plump out and I won't be able to pick you up as easily I can when we play…"

"You calling me fat, Angeal?" the younger voice pouted as he crossed his arms across his chest, showing his back to the man; hoping that it would tempt something out of the other voice, "…I could say the same about you. I don't like too much bulge on my playmates…"

"Oh, really?" Angeal slipped his arms around Zack's waist; fingers teasing at the straps of the stomach guard around Zack's waist, but they seemed to slowly slip south wise as both hands grabbed a different kind of filler on the young man, "…You don't like that hard filler bulge on your playmates? I didn't hear you complaining about it the other night after we got back from seeing the sights of Edge…If I recall you rather," his fingertips of one hand traced a curvature of a thigh attached into slender hips while the other brushed against the clothed "extra add on fat", "…enjoyed my extra bulge on me…you want me to work it off so that I don't look fat to you?"

Zack was biting his lower lip so hard that he knew that his lips and soon his tongue would take on the taste of Mako tinged blood if he bit down any harder; he was trying with all his will power to avoid leaning into Angeal's touch and wiggling his butt in against Angeal's hips, "D-Don't talk about yourself like that…you're perfect…perfect like the extra bulge on you that's knocking in against me right now," he softly whimpered then gasped as he found himself thrown against the wall and the same mind blowing kiss that he had received previously rocking his world as he was left to fall onto his butt, "…And here I thought you weren't going to kiss me again before I had to run off to the Call In Room for that new Project, ShinRa has made up to amuse themselves?"

Angeal softly smirked as he squatted down in front of his young lover and student's face, brushing aside strands of hair in his face, "You really should get these trimmed…but maybe…"his gloved fingertips traced Zack's face as he chuckled to himself as he watched Zack nuzzling and melting into the man's palm, "…Just leave one little bang hanging…"

"I could give you the locks they cut off as a kind of sentimental token of my affection for you?" Zack could hear footsteps coming their way as he pulled out of Angeal's hand and began to straighten himself up, "…But we can talk about that later."

With a last kiss upon the lips that seemed to last forever, the two departed for their respectable areas, but what they didn't know was; Cloud had almost by fate, taken a wrong turn and had seen and heard his close friend making out. Nearing second base and would've slid towards third if Angeal hadn't had any better restraint to not initiate sex in the halls that lead to classrooms. He had thought something was different about Zack recently, he seemed, lighter, happier. Reno claimed it was because he had _finally _gotten laid by the little brunette flower girl he had seen Zack hanging out with whenever he went towards a local run down Church. Zack would claim it was "to gain a sense of humility and humanity since ShinRa all but beats that to crap out of you when you join up…have to stay sane some way." Reno had surmised that he had found more then just "humility and humanity" in that little Church; he had found a girlfriend and had all but plucked all her flowers after coming back to the Compound after being gone overnight.

Zack claimed that nothing happened between the girl and him.

She was merely a girl who wasn't about to give it out easily to a man just because he was a SOLDIER and was infused with high doses of Mako; she wasn't like the other women of Edge who would open their legs for any man willing to pay. She had virtues and it was also because she only saw him merely as a "friend' and just a "friend." But now, after seeing what he had seen; he had reason to believe that everything he had said was true.

He hadn't deflowered the flower girl of the church.

_He _had been deflowered by the man he had looked up to for guidance; it may have seemed demoralizing, but, wasn't that he was doing by being in love with a Turk? Cloud shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he walked towards the room where he had been assigned to alongside the others that had been chosen out of the others for the new specialty program.

Genesis had been put into a less then pleasant mood after being thrown out on his butt as it may have seemed after he had found himself facing a less then thrilled General Sephiroth. It seemed smiling like a cat that ate the canary _and _cream wasn't a pleasant 'Good morning, sunshine' greeting that the man wasn't worth appreciating especially after the mental Hell the man had put Sephiroth through both verbal and text actions. Sephiroth had been less then grateful to have the man back after being gone for almost two weeks or more; he was more grateful to have the man out of his office and out of his sight. Even if that had been the case, that was not how the cameras had captured it after the auburn haired man had been tossed out in an angered form of greeting.

"_What are __**you**__ doing in here and how did you get back in without someone seeing you?" Sephiroth growled, an angry finger pointed at the man's face while surveying for possible exit points should the need come for it as well as casing the room for Masamune, "Haven't you done enough damage without coming back?"_

_Genesis' head tilted in a manner that had Sephiroth had any other reservations about the man; he would've found the man's expression adorable and a 'kiss and make up session' on the books, but the man's look was a look of confusion and mixed in crestfallen, "…What damage have I done to you? I left because I knew you wouldn't want me, but I found a little assistance on the outside…" that same impish kitten like smile that had been on his face before slowly crept back onto his face, "…And I'm sure you'll agree that it was a good move for me to leave only to come back to win you back to my side."_

_As if by some odd magic, Sephiroth's sword, Masamune that almost as tall he was had materialized into the man's hand and the tip was tickling just a few inches below the man's Adam's apple, "You have five seconds to get out of here before I disembowel you and claim that I attempted to save you when you mistook a summoning for your weapon with that of a Summon…" Sephiroth's face was unchanging as he watched the man place his hands up in a non threatening gesture as he moved towards the door._

"…_If that's how you want it to be?" Genesis placed his hand on the handle of the door, looking over his shoulder as he gave one last passing glance, "Just remember this, Sephiroth…If you want to play it like a game; well then come on, come on let's play, because I'd rather waste my life pretending, then have to forget you for one whole minute…"_

"_OUT!" Sephiroth bellowed; the sound of the metal of Masamune hit the door of his office door, "…Stupid man."_

_**But who is truly the stupid man here? Him…or you Sephiroth? A man like that would a choice man for any man to be with…even if there is no way for offspring of the combination of Super SOLDIER like you and guinea pig back country bumpkin trash like to be created from the combining of you two together…Think about it…You will **__always __**be alone…Is that how you want to live your life?**_

_Shut up…Just shut up…He's the one reason why I nearly killed that Cadet…innocent civilian in the wrong place at the wrong time…I don't need him…_

_**Oh? You don't do you? Then why were you blushing at the sight of seeing him waking up behind your sofa with that sleepy eyed look on his face that was made into a wonderful and beautiful dream by the way that auburn mane of his created a beautiful halo about his shoulders. Admit it. You enjoyed the image of seeing his face scrunched up in rudely awoken slumber…**_

_Stop it…just stop it…stop putting those images into my head…_

Sephiroth clutched at his head as he fought to free Masamune from the door, but his anger was creating an invisible grease or watery substance on his gloves which made him lose his grip on the hilt each time, "DAMNED THING! DAMN YOU GENESIS! DAMN YOU ALL! DAMN YOU!" the proud General gave up as he left into a form that he hadn't been since being in utter seclusion as a young boy in the ShinRa labs; a helpless, tearful, crying little boy who just wanted someone to lavish affection on him.

Affection or feelings, desires of wanted affection and touch from another human were beaten out of him countless times over and over till he had become numb to the put forth emotions of others. At least, until that cold feeling of being numb had started to melt away the first day he had seen Cloud at the Induction Ceremony to the Program, but when that feeling was soon destroyed. It was destroyed, more or less, it left him the day Cloud was unwilling to share his feelings for the blond back; he felt he would never feel anything again until he had started to get the annoying text messages from Genesis. At first, he had thought nothing about them as more then short annoyances, but when he had received the message with the attached photo of the flask Genesis had come upon. A fluttering sensation had grown into his renewed cold heart; he had heard stories about various potions and concoctions that people would resort to make another fall madly in love with them.

Was the flask Genesis' way of saying he wanted to warm him up? Was he playing on false emotions just to get into the man's life then to leave him? He had all but deleted the entire message, the text part of it at least. The picture he had kept and as he sat in his moping state next to the lodged in the door Masamune; he pulled his phone as his gloved fingers traced over the picture. A soft, blushing smile crossed his face as he eyed the bottle; he had to admit it, Genesis was a snake in the grass kind of character, but if he truly wanted the man…then…

"…Stupid man…you truly are a stupid man, don't think I know what you're up to, Genesis," Sephiroth chuckled to himself; he would let Genesis believe that Sephiroth didn't want him, but in an almost, sick sadistic way, he truly did, but was playing hard to get, "Well, better get going to the Meeting Hall…those little brown nosers aren't going to stand around forever."

Cloud gulped for what seemed the tenth time in the stretch of five to ten minutes that he and the others had been standing at attention waiting for the ones that were going to be "stuck" with this Program. He could already imagine that at best Zack's mentor would be one of the "Partners" for this week and a half program, possibly the General, but as he heard the sound of a door opening; he was surprised to see how many of the "Partners" he knew. Zack walked in with a slow gait; he had the look of a kicked puppy on his face, maybe Angeal had informed him of this minutes before it happened, that wasn't going to go over well with him. Angeal walked in just a few paces behind his kicked Puppy, consoling him with whispers in the ear that it was only a short arrangement; he only had eyes for his Puppy. If they weren't in a Public place, Zack would've jumped all over the man and lavished his face with peppered kisses, at least, not till later. A small handful of Turks that Cloud had never seen before strolled in with the long legged and swaggered stance red head that was his close friend, Reno and the raven haired man that had taken his heart walked in. Reno gave a secret wink to Cloud before playfully trying to nudge Tseng with the utmost of discretion while being just as discreet to direct his gaze to a slowly blushing Cloud. Tseng could only give an obligatory head nod to the boy; he couldn't let on that he already knew the young man; it wouldn't look fair to the others. Genesis walked in soon after followed shortly after with the man of the hour, General Sephiroth.

_Please don't let me get picked by the General…_

"Alright you lucky little buggers, when I call your name, come over here and reach your hand into the bowl; when you find your name, take the slip and go back to the line. No one is to read their slip till they are told and there is no trade offs…" the Instructor called out as the sound of a few heartbroken Cadets made sounds of disappointment mixed in with some rather tasteless remarks about how they wished they could get the General, "First off…"

For what seemed like forever, Cloud's name was finally called as he came forth to accept the slip, "Alright, you may _now _open your slip of paper and when you are ready; please report to the one that is to be your Superior for the next week and a half."

Cloud's eyes opened wide with fear as he read the slip of paper and the name on it that he was assigned to; this had to be some kind of sick and cruel joke by the Gods, "So, who did you end up with Cloud?" Zack walked over to Cloud as Reno soon joined him; it seemed that their names hadn't been picked, lucky for them, "Did you get Tseng?"

"…G-G-G-Gen…"Cloud couldn't speak as he began to shake like a leaf.

"That doesn't give us much to work with, buddy," Reno rolled his eyes as he took the scrap of paper from the boy's shaking fingers, "…Oh sweet Gaia…_him?_"

Genesis looked around for his young ward; even if Sephiroth had thrown him out unceremoniously that morning, he still had ways of getting into the man's life, "So…who did you end up with Angeal?" he had to make small talk before he finally walked up to the turning white as a bed sheet blond that was trying to be stirred out of a standing up coma by his companions, "Anyone good?"

"Heh…Doug McCalister…Grade A Brown Noser…" Angeal sighed as he rolled his eyes.

"How do you know that?" Genesis questioned his old childhood friend as he watched the man place a hand against his rolling eyes while pointing out the young ward he was saddled to, "…Oh."

From the way the young man he was pointing out was gloating about how he had been picked to be with Angeal; the boy was filled with nothing but hot air and if it had been possible, his nose seemed like it would've grown several inches. Genesis shook his head as he patted his dear old friend on the shoulder, "Just imagine, its only for a week and a half, he'll be on to bigger and better things before then and this will all be all behind you…"

"You better be right, Genesis," Angeal sighed as he looked up to see his gloating ward for the week and a half motioning for the man to join him among his friends, "You better go find your young ward before he slips off under your radar."

"No one can pass under my radar," Genesis flipped his nose to the air as his hair tousled behind him as he walked off to retrieve his shaking like a leaf young ward and key to winning Sephiroth to his side.

Zack and Reno saw the auburn haired man walking up, but Sephiroth could see it happening as well as his young ward was writing down everything still that he had told him before. Unfortunately for the questioning ward, Sephiroth's attention was drawn to the man walking past him, so close and yet so far away, but why did it matter to him? All Genesis had ever done was do everything short of jump in a hall to get into his pants, why should he give into newly blossoming feelings for the man? Reno kept a steady hand on his friend's shoulder while Zack began to stand down to the sight of Genesis' appearance.

"Call us if you need anything," Reno whispered as he patted his friend on the shoulder before playfully pushing him towards Genesis, "He's all yours now, Boss Man."

Genesis wouldn't give Reno ever one passing glance even if he was see him on the streets outside of the Compound, "Well…shall we get going then Cadet Strife?"

With a wild nod, Cloud agreed to the man's words as he let Genesis lead him out the door and towards his office, _it's all going according to plan…_

"So, what do you think of things so far to get towards being in SOLDIER, Cadet?" Genesis attempted to make small talk with the skittish Cadet; Cloud was acting just as he had when he had walked in on Sephiroth trying to feel the boy up, the first time he had made a bad move towards Sephiroth, "What inspired you to want to become a SOLDIER?"

Cloud played with the hem of his uniform shirt as he followed quietly behind the 1st Class SOLDIER, "Cadet, I'm speaking to you and it's not polite to not answer a Superior Officer's questions."

"S-Sorry sir…I'm just nervous…I've never been this close to a man like you, well, Zack may be a First Class too, but…you're different in a way…"Cloud softly mumbled as he found himself smacking into the back of Genesis' back, "S-Sir, why did you stop?"

"We're here," Genesis pushed the Office Door open as he waved a hand out across the small area of his office, "You may sit wherever you wish…"

"T-Thank you sir…

For what felt like an eternity, both men sat in utter silence until Genesis couldn't stand it much longer, "Coffee?"

"Sir?" Cloud questioned the man nervously.

"Would you like some?" Genesis made for the door, but Cloud was quick to stop the man, "Cadet?"

"…Let me do it, that's what I'm in this Special Program for, right?" his eyes never came up from the door handle, "Do you want some, sir?"

_Beautiful…this could work to my advantage…_

What seemed like hours later, Cloud strolled in with coffee for himself, Genesis and the two guests that Genesis had mentioned in passing as Cloud had left for retrieving coffee, "I brought creamer and sugar for anyone who wants…some…" his voice seemed to drift off as he saw the General sitting across from Genesis with his ward, "…General."

"Cadet Strife," Sephiroth seemed monotone in his speech as he cast his eyes back to the ward in his charge.

Cloud set the cups down on the table separating Genesis and Sephiroth as he took his seat next to Genesis, "Cadet Strife, would you please place a single packet of sugar and about two tablespoons of milk into the General's mug?" Genesis eyed Sephiroth, leering at the ward in Sephiroth's charge as he seemed to reach for the mug to do it for Cloud, "You don't mind my Intern doing that for you, General?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes, "Whatever…"

_He doesn't suspect a thing…he shall be all mine later…I'll have to commend Cadet Strife on being a good sport…after I've had my fun…_

Cloud proceeded to do as Genesis had ordered him to do, luckily for Genesis; Cloud's attention was diverted to the condiments to put into the coffee and Sephiroth's ward had Sephiroth's bored and undivided attention. Genesis quietly pulled the colorful flask out of his secret pocket in his jacket, slipping it onto the tray in place of the coffee creamer that he knew Cloud would add. The man secretly sat back as he began to sip on his coffee, a dash of the flask's contents splashed into his own coffee to assure should anything go array with the General's coffee. He would be assured of himself to get what he wanted should all else fail.

"Here you go, General," Cloud handed the cup off Sephiroth; there was no reason to suspect that something was off about the coffee.

Only what seemed a few hours of visiting in Genesis' office, Sephiroth began to feel lightheaded and dizzy; he couldn't explain the reason behind it, he had not received any recent Mako shots. They were typically the reason why he would feel sick to his head and stomach, but there was no other reason to explain this new onset of various symptoms, "General, are you going to be alright if I was take my leave, sir?" the young man that was interning to the General questioned to the man as he saw that Sephiroth was seeming _off _and it rather worried the young man.

"I'm…fine…you may leave for the day…I'll be fine, just having a bad reaction to the coffee this afternoon…" Sephiroth gritted his teeth against the rushing heat running through his body; he wanted to disrobe of his battle guard over his stomach, leathers and trench, but to do it in front of the young Ward would possibly scar him, "You're dismissed till further notice."

"Feel better, sir," the Cadet saluted as he walked back towards his Dorm, "…Note to self, never drink coffee with 1st Class SOLDIER, Genesis again…"

Sephiroth locked the door behind him as the young ward disappeared and without any regard for the video cameras in his office; he began to strip of his leathers and the battle guard against his stomach as he fell to his hands and knees. The heat wouldn't leave him. What was this feeling? It was like there was a heat all through his body that was pooling downwards in a southern region of his body; he was reacting like a cat in heat, but he was a human. He had a feeling in his hazy mind that Genesis was responsible for this feeling; his hazy mind had turned to a hazy gaze as he never once heard the door open. Feel the cool, bare hand draping around his neck as soft kissing lips caressed the hairline of his neck, pushing all of the long silver tresses over the man's shoulder while more cool fingers caressed a hot shoulder. Sephiroth began to softly purr at the sensation, eyes closing soft surrender as the neck caressing cool, ungloved hand, started to move down the man's chest till it stop halfway down the man's chest. He couldn't reach far enough to reach his navel as glistening white teeth were shown through pulled back lips as they found their way into latching onto the back of the man's neck. General Sephiroth became like a wild Chocobo, attempting to buck his assailant off, but the assailant had him pinned with strong knees pinned in against the man's slender hips. His retreat was cut off as the man felt himself being lowered to the floor, sunken in teeth soon left the man's neck as they moved towards a heated earlobe.

"…I told you…Loveless has an ending…and that ending…is made up of you…"Genesis' sultry voice purred as the chest draping hand managed to make its way down the full length of Sephiroth's body; making the man buck violently back into grunting and groaning Genesis' lower body, "…and me…mnmngh…Don't fight it, love…the more you fight…"

Sephiroth clawed the floor to attempt to escape but that was halted as he let out an airless gasp as Genesis teeth sank into his earlobe, drawing out Mako tinted blood onto Genesis' pert lips; Genesis had gotten his hands on a truly wonderful prize. The stick shift that was driving Sephiroth to find a way from Genesis, "…Mmh…So it is true…that sword you have isn't just for showing you're over compensating for something…"

"Unmgh!" Sephiroth growled out between moans as he felt Genesis taking over the situation, "G-Genesis…I…I…don't wa—AAH!"

As it was said, Genesis had his hands on the stick shift that was driving Sephiroth as the man pulled him around so that Sephiroth was looking up, eye to eye with a half dressed Genesis, "…Don't want what, Sephiroth? Me? Oh…I think you do want me because your little friend…" Genesis' eyes turned to a look of a sleepy, impish kitten as his fingers nimbly worked the man's fly open and hands flushed down the man's commando wearing leathers, "…says otherwise…"

"Oh sweet Goddess…whatever you do, do it long and make it last…"Sephiroth groaned out as he raised willing hips up into Genesis' working hands.

"…With much pleasure, General…"Genesis purred as he leaned in, heartily taking in a heavy helping of the pouting and delectable lips of the General, "…You don't know how long I've waited for this."

"Less talk, more action," Sephiroth growled as he flushed his hands up through Genesis' auburn locks, groaning as he rubbed his lower upper body against the willing one of Genesis as he heard a hearty groan come from between Genesis' lips.

Genesis was lost in a daze and haze; he finally won his long wanted prize, _Oh sweet Goddess indeed…you've got a mouth like a God…Oh Gaia, stop that…I'm going to…OH SWEET GAIA!_


	10. Love and fluff and sunshine! sorta

Chapter 10

In life, there are things that we regret doing; we regret that one relationship we started then cut off because of a number of reasons as to why it wouldn't last, we regret not doing that one thing that could have made us happier in the end of our life, we regret not saying 'I love you' sooner then later to someone we have in our life. Then there are things we regret without thinking about them and when we do think about them about them; they turn out to be something we wish that we hadn't. Adding to the regret. Sephiroth was feeling that way as he lay on the floor of his office; silver hair splayed out around him as if he was sleeping in his own silver stream of silver colored salmon that was made of his own hair. That river was joining with the red sea, vibrant and loud, but it balanced out the silver stream; it was quiet much like the silver stream as if it had seemed to been subdued. He couldn't bring himself to look over at the subdued face of Genesis that had a soft, content smile pulled across his lips; he had gotten what he had been scheming to get, but, at what price? At first, Sephiroth seemed to fight him off, but as it continued, the man, the proud General had caved into to his own bodies' desire for Genesis and the mere touches the man had caressed him with. He had fought the man's want to enter into him, but after a time, he had succumbed to that as well and fallen into a heavy pattern and easy, steady, set rhythm of Genesis doing what he was doing. A blush crossed his face as he remembered how he had begged for the man to just release already, how his voice had sounded like a whiny little boy that wanted the new toy. Even the smug, happy grin that had been on Genesis' face when he finally allowed and the way he looked when he heard Sephiroth's voice crack as he became one with Genesis. Genesis' fingers were slowly, in his sleep, tracing against his chest as he felt Genesis' chest rising and falling against his own. It would be horrible to wake the man so that they could heal one another and get on with their day, but Genesis seemed too content, peaceful, and happy. Making him move now was going to ruin the man's dream come true.

"…Genesis, its morning already…"Sephiroth softly nudged the sleeping man which was met by Genesis' arms tightening around his waist which caused Sephiroth's eyes to roll back in his head momentarily, "Genesis, I'm sure you've got to get to your Intern Student…"

Genesis started to mutter in his sleep, "I filled out his paper and gave him the rest of the time off…the Higher Ups know my word is golden…" he nuzzled back in against Sephiroth's chest, "Besides…I'm enjoying this after glow bliss between us…"

"Heh…"Sephiroth sighed to himself as he ran a hand down his face to be met by the sound of the clinking of metal; the chain between a pair of fuzzy handcuffs that was followed by one of Genesis' hands brushing his face with one of his own, _I don't __**even **__want to know what in the wide world of Gaia happened last night…_

Genesis could care less about discretion or the feeling of uneasiness the man must have been feeling at the moment; all he wanted to feel was close with Sephiroth, too long had been away from the man. Too long had he been admiring and taunting from a distance, but after what he had heard fall from Sephiroth's lips during their passionate night, he would forever cherish. Sephiroth had fought him at every turn, but when ultimate submission was demanded of him with threats of telling ShinRa that their prized little stud and world Hero was into entering through more then one kind of back door. Sephiroth had at first thought the man was bluffing and just talking through his teeth, but when Genesis had stilled at one point during their night, whispering into his ear that he had them all but eating out of his hand. They would bend over backwards for this auburn little weasel to believe him and do anything and everything to make him happy. Even if it meant ruining someone else's sensibilities. He had given the impression that he was still asleep, but he was feigning sleep as he traced, in his feigned state, on Sephiroth's chest differing patterns. While all the while admiring each and every mark he had left on the General's once clean chest; he allowed himself a mental chuckle. Try explaining why you're wearing a t-shirt under your stomach guard under your leather battle jacket when the temperature had to be blistering in Midgar. As much as he hoped he could keep the snickers in his mind, they managed to find their way out his lips and to Sephiroth's ears.

"What are you chuckling about, laughing boy?" Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow up as he glanced down at the open eyes of Genesis, "Get your laughs in because this will be the last time I ever bow to you…persuasion or not…"

The General began to blush as he started to faintly limp up onto his feet, "I've still got my Intern to handle…just because you brushed yours off as nothing, some of us still stick to protocol…"

Genesis sighed as he began to gather his clothes about him and about his figure as he began to redress, "…I have a simple question for you, oh great General…" the man watched Sephiroth fishing about in his desk for something to help the healing process while the Mako began its steady start of healing, "…Do you love me?"

Talk about your loaded questions; Sephiroth had for the life of him never deemed himself to take a liking to anyone, male or female; he regarded Genesis as simply a friend much like he had regarded Angeal a friend. But before he had befriended the two country boys, Genesis and Angeal; he had all but assumed that since they were childhood friends that the two men were possibly more then _**just **_friends. That was soon done away with when Sephiroth had come upon Angeal's journal after a meeting one day a few months back. He had all but written poetry about the raven haired little scamp that was his own Intern and was slowly turning into love interest. He had planned to approach Genesis with the words, but when Genesis had begun his own devious little cat and mouse game much like Angeal's poetry about the Puppy at his side. Signs of what Genesis was trying to get at were becoming clearer and clearer, but he had opted to forget about them. Brushing them off as paranoia and annoyance. But after what he had experienced with Genesis, maybe…it could be…

"Sephiroth?" the General was still standing near his desk, hand on the drawer and clad only in a pair of leather pants, "You okay?"

What did it mean to fell okay, especially now that he was facing the reality of the situation; Genesis was waiting like a scared little child for an answer as to whether or not Mommy or Daddy is going to be okay. Reality and truth hurt…damn you both.

There seemed to be no voice to the answer, just a simple movement of lips and body as Sephiroth gripped tight on Genesis' upper arms as he all but threw the man in against the wall. Tears streaming down his face as he tried to grasp onto the reality of the situation, but even if Genesis wanted a more verbal answer; he couldn't take Sephiroth like this. Things had changed too much in him during his time away from Sephiroth and the ShinRa building; just a few days before he had returned and had taken hold of the liquid that made Sephiroth his. He had noticed it coming out of his back; he had thought it was merely an illusion, but when he had seen it move and flutter, even him shuttering at the feeling of touching the downy feathers himself. It had come to the surface. He was the monster ShinRa had made him out to be, Sephiroth could never accept him like this now, even now as it unfurled itself from against the wall.

"G-Genesis?" Sephiroth was frightened at the sight, "W-Wha…What happened to you? Why do you have that wing on your back?"

Genesis' face broke into a faint cat like smirk as he patted the man's cheeks as he took his leave, "…The monster is taking his leave…while another will soon fall into steps with this monster…will you…my love?" with a soft brush of lips against Sephiroth's cheek, Genesis left.

_Monster…what do you mean…who is the other monster?"_

"GENESIS!" Sephiroth's voice was covered by the sound of morning alarm bell as the Cadets began to rouse in their own bunks while the rest of the ShinRa Building and the outside world of Midgar and Edge began to begin the dance of life.

Zack stretched his hands over his head as his face scrunched up at the feeling of the sun streaming through unfamiliar blinds and waking up in an unfamiliar bed, "…Did I sleepwalk again?"

"Come on, Pup, time to get to work, Lazard has a mission for us that'll be a quickie out in Wutai to check in on something that's been going on and then we've got Training in the Virtual Training Room…You still aren't able to keep up with me and with the rumored mission coming up…you're going to need to pick it up on the typical and practical skills," Angeal called out from down the hall as he poked his head in, "And before you ask if we did it, fat chance, Pup…"

Angeal chuckled as he heard a woeful whine come from the Guest bedroom he had placed the teen into; after the Interns had been sent off to their various Mentors, Reno had prompted the suggestion they go grab a drink. What should have been just a drink amongst friends turned into a night of trying to pry Reno off every guy he saw through the beer tinted glasses that were muddling his vision. If they weren't vigilant with watching the wild Turk that was more then tipsy; he would be finding himself possibly locked up in some sexual deviant's basement in some kind of gimp outfit and tied up in a bondage set up. They would never be forgiven by the Turk if they ever allowed something like that happen, but it seemed, while they had their attention diverted by the bartender to pay their tab. The mission 'Keep Reno Straight' became an utter failure the moment they spot him necking a little blond in the back of the bar. If they hadn't gone to investigate; they would've almost mistaken the mewling blond for a normal hair styled Cloud. But from the ring on the young man's hand that was being clenched hard each time Reno got a little more then feisty with the boy; they could tell he wasn't a civilian and certainly wasn't Cloud. Old man Shinra may at the moment may be "happily" married to his wife, but it seemed that there wouldn't be any Shinra heirs if the young man and a drunken Reno had anything to say about it. Zack simply shook his head at his friend as Angeal escorted the young man back to the ShinRa building, but only after Zack had started to feel the effects of the alcohol they had downed together taking its effects on him. A half drunken Zack wasn't as fun as a sober one and Angeal wasn't one to take advantage of a drunken Zack; it was beneath him. Zack wouldn't have minded, at least they would get to go beyond the simple make out sessions in the darkened corridors of the ShinRa building to the simple dirty text messages.

"Angeal, can we just take a sick day today…and go kick Reno's ass for daring me into drinking those shooters last night?" Zack groaned out from the bedroom as he ground the heels of his palms into eyes, "I don't feel too good…"

"If this is a ploy to get me in there to give you what you were hoping we had, you're dead wrong, Pup, come on…" Angeal walked in as he saw that the young Pup wasn't kidding; the poor kid was green around the gills, "…Heh, I'll call in a few favors and a hangover potion…"

Zack groaned from the pulled over his head covers, "…Thank you, Angeal…"

Reno came staggering into work with a pair of sunglasses he had borrowed from his partner in crime when it came to Turk missions to hide his eyes; they were blood shot and wasn't going to go over well with Tseng. Tseng would ride this horse up and down the block and over his backside several times over if he ever was to find out that he had spent his night drunk off something powerful in the shooters. Then waking up finding and remembering he had spooned the President's son that night with a few or so dozen hickies around his neck and a rather bruised lower half. President Shinra didn't bear kids that weren't capable of fighting back, or in Reno's case, shoveling it out to rude mouthed red heads, but the kid had all but apologized all over the place for bruising him that hard. Reno would've gotten a double helping for what he had slipped up and said what was on his mind, but he had promised the blond haired delicate angel that he would go to the Infirmary to get checked out should he start having problems. Kid didn't deserve a Dad figure like the President, but at the moment, he had to focus on getting pass his fellow Turks, as well as Tseng, with blood shot eyes and a ringing hangover headache.

Nice wish that was.

"Morning Reno," the cheerful sound of a young woman, and probably the only assumed female Turk of the Turks, Cissnei, remarked as she saw the man in passing, but her voice only seemed to make Reno clutch his head, "You okay? You look like you're in pain…"

_Thanks a lot Captain Obvious._

Reno grinned up a false smile as he waved it off, "Just had a rough night…"

"Rough night of sex with the President's son, Reno?" Cissnei seemed to beam like a Cheshire cat as she watched the man flinch, "What are you thinking?! Sleeping with the Boss' kid?! Are you _looking _to get fired or at best, having to explain yourself to the President?!"

Reno wasn't in the mood or in a mood to gently put it, but this was Cissnei he was talking about; the woman could land him face down on the ground before he could blink if he thought of telling her off, "…The poor kid just wants a companion…I give him that much…and if we do, do anything besides talk, then that's not my problem."

"It'll be your problem should the President ever catch wind of it, Reno," that voice sounded too familiar and for once he was wishing he had his head buried under paperwork while napping off his hangover headache, "You. Me. My office. Now."

_Things just can't get any worse then this…_

"What were you thinking?!" Tseng slammed his office door as he watched Reno nearly fall onto his knees, clenching his head, "The President's Son, Reno? Rufus Matthew Shinra?! Are you even thinking? The President assumes his son will find some woman when he's old enough to marry and bear an heir to the Shinra name…"

Tseng was furious; he was more then furious, he was outraged, but it wasn't because he had received a call from the President early that morning, screaming in his ear that he had found his son lying in bed. Unable to hardly move without the use of someone giving him some kind of Healing Materia over where he was hurting, even voicing his disgust that his personal physician had told him his son was torn. Torn in his backside as if someone had slammed something up inside his son's body, but after his son had managed to get his Father's attention; the boy had told his Father what had happened. Reno was looking at more then just being fired; he was looking at castration at the hands of his Boss' Boss. Things had been made worse when he had received second hand reports regarding a mission that was in the works to send a team to Niblehiem to look into the Mako Reactor there. It had seemed that someone was playing around with things around the area and it was going to be sending a team up there to check on things. Even throwing the idea of sending a couple of the best Cadets along with at least one SOLDIER; so why should that news enrage Tseng as much as it did?

Cloud's name was being considered for one of the Cadets to be sent and as for the SOLDIER, Zack Fair was being considered; Angeal had no clue that this was happening and neither did Zack. Tseng was enraged at the fact that they were sending the young man Cloud out into the field. He withheld all emotions regarding the proposition of Cloud being sent into a position like that to himself.

Reno managed to stand up as the ringing settled to a dull roar, "I don't know what I was thinking, okay, that answer your question? It's just…It's just that…" the man flopped down into a chair in front of Tseng's desk as the man began to drum a familiar Wutai tune against the arm of his own chair, "…Everyone's hooking with everyone else and this Turk just wants something…And I didn't intentionally go after the President's kid…alright? If I didn't save his scrawny little butt from the perverts drooling over him, he wouldn't be at home right now."

"…I was out last night with Fair and Hewley, we were having a few drinks and I was just starting to get my buzz when I got a glance over at a group of men closing in on this little blond. I thought, 'If that's Cloud, these jackasses are in for some serious trouble'…I knocked a few off, even sent one flying into a wall," Reno sighed as he ran a hand down his face as he pulled the sunglasses off his face, revealing the black eye he had gained from one of the thugs, "…I got this shiner from one of the gorillas but when I whipped out my EMR, they managed to back off."

Tseng listened to the story as he gave no intention of interrupting, "I decided to sit with the kid and then the next thing I know…I'm all over this kid, unable to control myself and…I'm sure you can imagine what happened next."

"Heh…Is that all?" Tseng inquired as he watched Reno change position, "Anything else I should know before I make my report to the President?"

Reno shook his head negatively, "No sir…"

"…You're dismissed…and I apologize for snapping earlier," Tseng began to rub his temples as he tried to let the information he knew settle; he had to talk to Cloud soon, he had to find some way to get the boy out of the upcoming mission, "I'm just stressed with the news I heard about what the President wants for a group to do in the small mountain town of Niblehiem…"

"Well, good luck with that sir, this Turk is going to go take something for the hangover and try to do some work," Reno saluted Tseng as he left the office, "I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to, Boss."

Cloud sat in class, bored out of his mind over the same old dribble and lessons; it was Review Week in classes because Finals were coming up, Finals and the grades from Finals determined whether you went up or down in Grade Rank. Grade Rank defined the privileges you were privy to while in the Academy and it gave you a one up over the others when it came to getting closer to your dreams. He knew everything that the Teachers were talking about and had all but aced all the Practice Tests. Why did he have to sit in class still? Daydreaming had become something he hadn't done since realizing what his dreams he had been having meant, but now and again, he would allow himself a little time to dream about Tseng. Even now and again, he would text the man. Tonight was their first official date and he was counting the hours, but even as it was drawing closer; he was getting nervous. When he had been in Elementary School back home, the Teachers had thought it would be cute to have a kind of a little kids Prom for the kids; his Mom had all but cried when she saw him dressed up for it. She had shared her tears with his childhood friend, Tifa's mom; they were gushing and blushing over how cute their children looked together. That's when planning for a future wedding for them started, but as the two had grown up together, the two kids had come to the conclusion that all they would ever be was friends. He had been nervous then and even now he was nervous. Would they have to kiss good night? Would he want to go all the way tonight? So many questions, so little time. Both were new to the idea of relationship between two men, but their feelings were mutual; neither one was going to force the other into something the other didn't want.

"Alright, you're all dismissed, but I want you all to keep studying hard and good luck to you all," the Teacher called out as the students got up to head off to their own things, "Strife, can I see you for a second?"

Cloud knew there was nothing to fear, but being called out by the Teacher was usually something of embarrassment and worry to him, "Yes sir?"

"I've heard a rumor that you're going to be heading out on a special Mission with the General himself and a fellow Cadet as well as SOLDIER 1st Class Zack Fair…I don't know if its true yet, but, I wish you luck on your Mission, Cadet…"the Teacher's face beamed with a proud look; a look that he had hoped to see on his Father's face if he had ever known his face.

"T-Thank you, sir…"

Reno had managed to make it to the classroom just as the last students were leaving, "Hey Spiky, come on, you and I have a meeting with the Lunch Hall…you're buying this time," the red head half heartedly chuckled as he ducked his head away from the luminous lights.

"Excuse me, sir," Cloud saluted his Teacher as he chased out after Reno, muttering to him about how it was Reno's turn to buy; he had bought the last half a dozen times.

Zack groaned as he rolled over on his side; his sense of smell falling on the scent of breakfast under his nose which turned his stomach, but a familiar touch was brushing through his spiky locks. Forget the scent of breakfast or even its taste; he wanted to eat up that smell coming from the familiar touch brushing against his head. He continued to lift his head up till he felt familiar lips brushing against his with a familiar chuckle as familiar lips locked with familiar pressure. Breakfast could wait, Angeal couldn't. Familiar lips began to move down along a familiar neck line as they brushed, licked, and nipped at familiar points that began to create familiar sounds from the teen that the lips were teasing. Heaviness could felt pushing against familiar places as Zack began to heavily groan, moaning and gasping as he felt familiar fingers brushing near places he had never felt them near before. Angeal's chuckles began to grow as he nip against Zack's lower lip, suckling on it while he heard whimpering, pleading words coming from his young lover's lips. Pleading for everything his body was feeling to not be a dream. Don't let it all be a dream. Let there be some reality to all of these feelings.

"…This isn't a dream, Pup…"Zack's body arched up as he felt an unfamiliar sensation that uttered out screams that were stifled by Angeal's lips crushed hard against his lips.

It wasn't a dream. It was happening, everything was Angeal, every movement, every push, every shift, each time one pleasurable spot was hit; it was all Angeal and it was all Angeal when the dream seemed to come to an end. But the dream didn't end the moment it was over. Warmth he had felt was still there. Angeal was here, he was _really _here. Every waking dream he had had about doing what he had dreamed about with Angeal, it had been answered. Zack's soft happy tears rolled down his face as they were wiped away with the back of Angeal's hand; he would do anything to make his Puppy happy. Nothing could change how he felt for the young man. Nothing could take him from him. At least, that's what he hoped and prayed for; he had received word from Lazard what replacement mission would be used for replacing their mission to Wutai. Zack was going to be gone with Sephiroth and Cloud and another Cadet to Cloud's hometown; he wouldn't be able to go with the Pup. Just the mere thought of having to be away from the boy tore at his heart, but he couldn't let Zack know about it, not yet.

_Let me rest in this happiness…just for a little while longer…_

"So tell me, what was it like being an Intern for Genesis?" Reno mumbled from under crossed arms, "Was he a prick?"

Cloud all but choked on his food, "N-No…he was kind of an interesting guy, but things got weird after a time, the General didn't start to look too good after he took a sip of the Coffee, Genesis asked me to make," he had all but beaten himself up for the General's demeanor once he and the other Intern had been dismissed.

Reno chuckled from under his arms, "Don't worry about General Sephiroth, the Labs probably gave him a bad dose of Mako and having coffee must have activated the bad end of it; he's a tough guy, he probably toughed it out."

"But enough about that, what do you and my Boss have planned for your little special get together tonight since it is your first date with my Boss?"

"…How do you even know that he and I are going out tonight?" Cloud blushed as he started to play with his lunch.

Reno peeked up at his friend, "Word gets around Spiky…kind of like it seems that word about what I did last night after I split from Zack and Angeal gets around, especially to the President."

"What did you do?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh come on! It can't be that bad!"

Reno began to growl under his breath; he couldn't tell Cloud that he had banged the President's kid the night before because in his drunken stupor, he had made believe that Rufus was Cloud. He had soft spot for the kid, but there were times he had had wished that Cloud had fallen for him, but once the drunken stupor had worn off, halfway through his "fun" with Rufus. He had seen Rufus for Rufus. Rufus couldn't replace Cloud; Rufus needed someone like Cloud needed someone. Tseng was that strong walled man that Cloud needed to be protected against the perverts in this Building and Rufus needed someone that was on the inside. Someone who could be trusted to not betray his trust, or tell anyone that he was with the Turk; he couldn't tell Cloud.

"Sorry Cloud, promised someone I wouldn't talk about what I did last night…"Reno blew air out through his lips as he played with the roll on Cloud's plate, "…Special person doesn't want their identity revealed and I don't break promises to people."

Cloud shrugged, "Its cool."

Sephiroth had been at a loss for everything since Genesis had left his office that morning; he had all but destroyed his office in anger over Genesis leaving him. He had wanted to answer Genesis' question, but the man had turned on him and walked away, talking about himself as if he was a horrific being. What did he mean about monsters and would he fall in line like him? Was he a monster too? No, he couldn't be. He knew that the Scientists were messing with his DNA but, could they be making him into a monster? No! He couldn't!

"General Sephiroth?" Lazard jumped back as he saw the man's elongated sword being swung in his general direction, "I apologize for scaring you, sir, but…I was hoping that we could talk about the Mission I've assigned you to in regards to Wutai before you're sent to Niblehiem."

Sephiroth sighed as he sheathed Masamune, "No offense is taken…let's talk."

It had seemed like hours had passed after Lazard had given the run down regarding what he was to do in Wutai and what was to be expected of him in his report upon his return from Wutai. A run down was given about his mission to Niblehiem, the one thing was questionable about this Mission was the Reactor. Word had come that it was the place where Jenova, the calamity that had attempted to destroy the Planet many years ago, was stored. Lazard knew that in a way, her cells had been what created Sephiroth within the womb of a female scientist that was unknown of in regards to her whereabouts. Reports had been coming from the Reactor stating that mild activity had been happening, but it was feared, by Lazard, that Jenova may have becoming active which could pose a threat for Sephiroth. If he was to become overpowered or taken by her powers; he could all but destroy the surrounding area and those in it. This posed a threat for those that would be in attendance of this Mission.

"Do you have any questions, General?" Lazard leaned back in his chair as he studied Sephiroth's face.

"No…I shall take my leave and will be back before the fall of night," Sephiroth bowed out to Lazard as he left to leave for Wutai, _You may assume you're a monster, Genesis…but I…I shall __**never **__be a monster…_


	11. A night to remember

"Afternoon General," typical salutes and salutations were passed to the bone weary General as he walked through the halls after leaving his report on a busy Lazard's desk.

He didn't have time for formalities or explaining why his report was covered with slash, burn marks and imprints of dirt. Being in a mood was an understatement for the man as he slammed his hands against his office door before slamming it shut behind him, locking it and proceeding to toss Masamune to the floor. The mission to Wutai, that had been passed onto him because the original team opted to call in a sick day, had been given to him. It wasn't that the General found it to be a hard mission; it was simple enough and done within the amount of time that was to be assumed it would take the General to do it. The main activities, more like, duties, had been to spend time talking with the dignitaries, sampling the customary food, allowing the ladies to mother him to their hearts content from the way he kept his hair to claiming he was too thin. After documents regarding ShinRa's plans for Wutai were signed and pleasantries were exchanged; the General had been allowed to leave. Things seemed fine with the world, even with Sephiroth, but things are bound to change, change direction, but no casualties will be left unturned. Even to this day, the Villagers still question whether there was actually someone there that they had found the General screaming at in that woodland patch, or if it was a ghost.

Some have speculated the ghost theory while the elders and shamans claimed it to be a projection of the General's guilt; they had read on his hand that he carried with him the great guilt of having slain many innocent men. Even if it had been under the orders of ShinRa, the guilt was there. But not as heavily as the guilt that one woman had read on his palm.

"_I see much heaviness on your heart, General…you have found yourself in a web of troubles…you were merely a harmless butterfly flying by a harmless web of a devious spider. You became wounded by your guilt over something you did to a fellow creature…" the old woman paused in her premonition as she hummed to herself before gasping, "Oh, I see that someone has stolen your heart, General, but…you fear becoming close to this person…you want to be close, but you fear being too close and they ran from you and now…"_

_Sephiroth snatched his hand, gently away from her, "Thank you, but I think that is enough for now…" the man fished a few coins from his pocket as he placed them in her hand, "May your Gods smiled highly on you, madam."_

"_Oh, you flatter this old woman too much, General."_

That's where it would start; as he begun to move to the outskirts of the village to board the helicopter back to Midgar; something flutter just behind him. A bird? No, it was too big to be a bird and any meat eating animals and beasts were in the deeper parts of the woodland jungle, so what was it? A voice began to whisper upon the wind that made the man's teeth grind together and it became louder and harder as he heard and saw the sight of a taunting copper colored bird with the heart of a weasel and a simple black wing among its copper coloring. Taunting him from the tree tops, reciting that _ridiculous _play of Loveless to him from a far, but the words were different this time; they were…questioning. Questioning Sephiroth as to whether or not he would follow the path that the bird had taken, even fluttering down from the tree tops to caress its feathers against the General's face.

The conversation was still fresh on his mind…

"…_Why are you doing this, Genesis? Why did you run away from me that morning? I would have answered your ques---"Genesis' gloved finger pressed against Sephiroth's lips as his own brushed in against the hidden hairline of the General's hairline, "Gen…"_

_Genesis purred as he heard the man call him the nickname that both, the General and Angeal had taken to calling the man when they had been close in their earlier years; his free hand moved up along Sephiroth's collar and behind his neck, brushing with gloved fingers at the hairline. Running his fingers from underneath and up towards the man's scalp which earned him an airy muttering of moans from the General. He cut off the action quickly as placed a knee in between the General's legs to keep him from falling forward into the man or backwards towards the jungle dressed forest floor. _

_A soft smirk was on his lips as he brought his lips back towards the lobe of Sephiroth's right ear, "Monsters and Gods don't belong in the same category as one another…the love isn't the same…you detested every advance I made and yet, they were just simple and childish in their action…" Genesis scalp clad hand gripped hard against the man's scalp which caused Sephiroth to momentarily scream out, "Sorry love…"_

_Sephiroth couldn't scream out as he felt the wind knocked out of him and he was dragged towards a remote area where he was later found, muttering and screaming at something that wasn't there. His coat was strewn on the ground in the matter as if it had been laid out for his comfort during some kind of act while his stomach guard lay no more then a few inches away from the coat. The man's pants were done up as if the man had done them back up in a hurry; the villagers heard him screaming at a figure, but all they found was a silver haired man screaming…at nothing._

"…I'm not a God…and you're not a Monster…I love you…no matter what you are and no matter what you do…"Sephiroth crumpled into his leather seat behind his desk as he closed his eyes to the world, "…I just wanted you Genesis and yet…at every chance I take to capture you…you avoid me…Is this your form of revenge for my blowing off your advances? If it is…I get it. You've won, game over…now please…just come back to me."

Tseng fingered over the file folder that had arrived on his desk during his lunch break, _in ShinRa, there is no snail mail…_the folder held the details of what was to be the purpose of the Niblehiem mission. Detailing down to the most intricate detail, even blood type, of who was going on this Mission and reasons behind the choices. He hardly knew the boy and now, he was going to be separated from him for while the boy was back in his home town. To help handle a mission that shouldn't include him. But, he had no say in the matter. Tseng's inner conscious was rapping on his mind again.

"_I know you're worried about the kid, but he'll safe, the Puppy of SOLDIER is going to be with your boy. Zack is one of the kid's best friends, alongside Reno, but that's a different case, Zack won't let any harm come to the kid. Have some faith. If he's as spry as he is in innocent inability to catch on that you check out his ass every time he passes by you, then he'll do fine," _the Ninja conscious of his mind chuckled to herself as she saw Tseng throw an angered look her way, _"Shutting up now, besides, I've got to go get some training in. Can't be the next leader of my Clan without being the top notch fighter of them all. Remember Tseng, the kid will be alright."_

The man sighed, "…That's not what I'm worried about, what I _am _worried about is him getting into trouble, especially with Fair on the roster."

"Sir, Director Lazard would like to go over some last details; it's regarding a chaperone for the flight to Niblehiem," Tseng's secretary buzzed into the man's intercom as she clicked off.

"Thanks, I'll be right there," Tseng sighed; his stomach slowing down in its flip flops as he made his way to Lazard's office, _This could be a little of good news._

Cloud was alone in his barrack, at least for once; the others whom he shared the room with had decided to sneak off to the Lower Plate to try and sneak some booze from some of the local bars. The Lower Plate of Midgar tended to house the Slums. There were countless places in the Lower Plate who didn't card underage drinkers; the others he shared the room with had no fear that they would pass their Finals. Finals, something he was going to miss if he was going to be called to this Mission that his teacher had heard rumors about. His Teacher, before he had left the other day, had given the teen the option to take the Tests for all his classes early if he felt he would be called up for the rumored mission. Cloud knew there was a slim chance he'd be called and was just wishing to spend a few quiet hours alone in the barracks to play with his thoughts; especially the ones involving his evening with Tseng. It made him giggle a little. A date. He had an actual date. Unfortunately for his Mom's sake, it wasn't with another girl, but he was actually going to get out of the Academy Building and get to spend time out among the streets of Midgar. Questions started to buzz in his head about where were they going on their first date, what would they be eating, would they end up kissing by the end of the night, or the one thing he wasn't ready for, at least his mind thought he wasn't ready for. Would they go beyond just kissing tonight?

Cloud's face blushed as he rolled onto his side, curling into himself, "…I'm scared…I should be happy about tonight, but I'm scared…Heh, what am I going to do if I do something stupid?"

Fate must have been listening in on Cloud's thoughts, "Hey, Cloudy, you in there kid? Can your best buddies come in and hang out?" the voices were familiar as Cloud rolled over to the edge of the bed and unlocked the door, "Ready for a 'First Date Crash Course Lesson' from your best buddies?"

"Do I really stand out that much in regards to 'date virgin'?" Cloud blushed harder as his friends walked in, each placing an arm around the teen's shoulders as they shut the door, "Seriously?"

"Only the good parts, Cloud, only the good parts," Zack chuckled as he bum rushed Cloud up into his arms like a bride as he threw the boy onto the bed while he straddled him, "And maybe a few others."

Cloud was not in the mood to have his friends attempts at trying to molest him, but he knew they were playing around, especially Zack, but his eyes said other wise, "Zack, what are you doing?"

"…Just a little practice role play…"Zack purred as he came in close to Cloud's face, "Just pretend I'm Tseng and then…"

Zack didn't have time to react; Cloud's hands began fishing through Zack's raven locks and his lips crushed in hard against Zack's while Cloud fumbled to wrap one of his legs about Zack's waist. Reno looked on, flabbergasted, nearly choking on his soda as he saw their little friend becoming a creature they had never seen before; Zack continued to try and fend off the little blonde's hands. If Angeal was to walk in now, there was no way to know whether or not he would murder Zack for helping his friend on his first date. When Zack didn't react back to Cloud's actions, Cloud's actions became fierce as he yanked Zack down into him.

Both teens were taken back as Cloud pushed Zack off him and the covers flew over Cloud's body, "…W-Wow…Cloud, that was…Oh Cloud, come on…"Zack chuckled as he began to ruffle at the sheets but when he heard the sound of soft crying; he turned his laughter to silence as he motioned for Reno.

"…I don't know if I can go through with this…What if he wants to go all the way tonight? I don't know if I'm ready to loose my virginity!"

"Oh Cloud…"Zack cooed as he tried to pry the sheets off Cloud's head as Reno tried to poke a piece of candy into a little free area near Cloud's head, "Is that all you're worried about?"

Reno moved in as he snuck his head under the sheets which caused Cloud to squeak under the sheets, sending Zack falling off the bed and the sheets following suit. Reno held onto a squirming blond in his lap as he finally got him to shut up and listen, "If I know my Boss, like I do, Tseng isn't one of those kinds of guys who wants to give it all away on the first date. Heck, I heard that when he and one of the lady Turks tried to go that way on a date once, they couldn't figure out how to go about it. Heck, Cissnei could hardly get her bra off and Tseng was too much of a prude to take an interest in the act."

"As far as I know, he's been saving himself for the special person and I'm sure you have too…You don't have to give it all away on the first date…its meant to be an enjoyable time, getting to know one another, make memories. Sex doesn't matter on the first date."

Zack poked his head up from the mountain of sheets that had fallen on his head; this was the first time he had heard Reno sound so mature, "Alright, enough of this girl talk, time to get our little Spiky ready for his big night. First things first, Spiky, you need a shower. Reno and I will get you some clothes together and when you come out of the shower, we won't be here. So…" he pulled the blond, a squeaking blond, out of Reno's arms as he shoved him towards the bathroom, "get in there and get clean!"

"Anxious to get the kid out the door, _Mom_?" Reno chuckled as he watched Zack's attention turn on him, "Shutting up."

Lazard waited on baited breath for Tseng to say something as he watched the man's hand crunching the file folder, millisecond by millisecond, "Is there something wrong, Tseng?"

"Why didn't you tell me that the Reactor has begun functioning…especially, _her,_" Tseng was furious as he tossed the file at Lazard, "I don't appreciate young men like Fair and Strife being sent into a position such as this should something happen to the General. You know full well the Labs have pumped enough of _her _DNA through him and should he get too close to _her; _he may end up harming Strife and Fair."

"You have no say in the matter who gets sent and who doesn't, Tseng, this came from President Shinra himself, as for the safety of those two," Lazard brought up their statistics on the screen, "I assure you, Fair will be enough to keep Strife from harm should the General try and make a move against the boy. And as you know, this is a test to make sure that Strife is capable of moving up towards where he wants to accomplish. He wants to be in SOLDIER."

Tseng's face dropped into a look of fright, but he hid it well, "…Then why did you call me here?"

"The President has asked that you be the Co-Pilot for this flight; keep a sharp eye out for things to assure that the team makes it safely to Niblehiem, and once they have landed; that's it," Lazard crossed his arms across his chest as he sat in his chair, "_**That **_is why I called you here. Anything else you'd like to ask me about?"

"No…Nothing at all," Tseng pushed his chair out as he took his leave, never once batting an eye as he headed for his office and head home to prepare for his evening with Cloud, _Don't let it get to you. Don't need the kid finding out about anything…tonight is all about us…_

Reno began to hum to himself as Zack tapped his foot towards the door of Cloud's dorm, "How long does it take him to get ready?" Reno was bored and it showed in his tone of voice, body language and attitude.

"Give him some time, Reno, its not like you've got a hot date tonight…"Zack jokingly scoffed as he watched his friend change direction.

"It just so happens I do, but I'm not about to tell you."

"Let me guess, Shelly in Accounting?"

"No…you don't know who it is."

Zack had a way of cracking people, but he wasn't going to get his answer as the door cracked open as a flitter of blond spike poked through the door, "Here comes the Cinderella."

Cloud nervously played at the bottom tails of his shirt that hung just a few inches down the front of his black jeans as his Converse sneakers squeaked against one another on the floor; about Cloud's neck was a simple choker. It was given to him as a birthday gift by Zack, when Angeal had made a crack that it was Zack's own way of bonding his way to Cloud as his own little slave. Zack had jumped all over his Mentor that it was nothing like that. Simple black bracelets were strapped on Cloud's wrists and his shirt had a couple of buttons left unbuttoned, the wife beater underneath seemed to accent it.

As well as the light jacket on his body as he cleared his voice to gain his friend's attention, "Well, what do you guys think?"

"P-Perfect," both teens managed to stutter as they were turned on their ear as they heard a throat clearing as they parted like the Red Sea as Cloud began to blush hard as he saw Tseng standing before him.

Tseng was perfect, even if he was still wearing his business suit to even just wearing a simple outfit that was as clean as his Turk Uniform; he looked stunning no matter how he dressed, "You ready, Cloud?"

"Yes sir…"Cloud's voice sounded timid as he threaded his fingers through Tseng's open handed invitation as he followed after the man.

"…Lucky…little…dog…"Zack and Reno changed off making remarks as they watched the two men walking hand and hand out of the Barracks, towards the street entrance/exit and onto the mean streets of Midgar, "Our little buddy is all grown up…"

Midgar was a different place at night, all of the lights of the city were something that Cloud couldn't take his eyes off of, the only thing that could distract him was Tseng's voice, "How about we get something to eat?" Tseng's voice broke through the haze that had taken over Cloud's.

Cloud nervously turned his attention back to Tseng, "S-Sure…"

"I know of a place that serves some food that is delicious, kind of reminds me of home…"

"What is it?" Cloud grimaced at what it could be; he had grown up in a Country bumpkin little town, but he knew enough that some other Town's foods were sometimes not the best things in the world to digest.

Tseng chuckled as he pulled Cloud towards a section of Town no one else knew of, "How about a little Wutian Cuisine?"

The night was perfect; as was dinner, the cuisine was something that had at first turned Cloud off, but when Tseng had suggested a dish that Cloud had found himself inhaling rather then enjoying. It was decided that no matter the culture or dish, different dishes from different cultures was good. Tseng had chuckled as he watched Cloud inhaling his food; it reminded him of a lost puppy he had picked up and had hidden away in his quarters as a little boy. The little puppy didn't last too long after that for it was a culture from his part of Wutai that he was from, any stray dogs found wondering the streets were immediately considered food. He didn't know it till too late that he had been eating his little companion which seemed to slow Tseng's appetite as he slowed in eating. Cloud had taken notice of this and figured it was Tseng's way of saying he wanted to talk and to stop shoveling your face full of cuisine like you are hungry drifter who hasn't eaten for weeks.

"So, tell me a little about Wutai? What is it like where you're from?" Cloud wiped at a piece of food he could feel hanging on the corner of his mouth as he sipped on the glass of water, "I don't mean to sound rude, its just, I've never been outside my little country bumpkin town and I find it fun to hear about other peoples home towns."

Tseng chuckled, yes, Cloud was truly like the lost puppy he had found himself eating as a boy with the spirit of Zack in him, "Well, it's lush and green, pretty much a jungle atmosphere and possibly the only town without a Mako Reactor being pumped through it. Our Elders don't care much for ShinRa and like to keep to the old customs," he watched Cloud's eyes dance in amazement and amusement.

"Like, the dot on my forehead, it's a symbol of status from where I'm from; my Mother and Father High Elders of our little Village and I guess, you can consider me a kind of Prince of sorts. But, I felt like something was calling me to be more then just a jungle thriving country man. That's why I left and joined ShinRa as soon as I could."

His memories were slowly seeping back, "My parents weren't too happy that I had joined up with the one Group they could not stand; they took one look at the President back then, when he was younger, and called him the 'White Devil.'"

"They feared him taking over our old customs and traditions, but he has managed to steer clear of it all, now," Tseng spoke up as he watched Cloud's attention change at the chance in Tseng's tone of voice, "I've told you about my hometown, what about yours?"

"Oh…my hometown isn't much, its simple…and there pretty much isn't anything else out there besides the Mako Reactor, ShinRa put up on the outskirts of town," Cloud shrugged as he continued to sip on his water.

"There has to be something that is special about it that you find special, Cloud," Tseng chuckled as he looked at Cloud with utter amusement, "Was there anything you use to do as a kid?"

Cloud closed his eyes as he tried to imagine his humble little home, "There are hills upon hills of grassy field and colorful flowers; ponds that were always filled with tadpoles during the spring into summer months; in the summer, I would go fishing by the lakeside. Collecting sap from the trees in the fall," the teen chuckled to him self as he remembered on the fond memory of the year he had stuffed himself silly on berries, "My Mom was so furious the year that I had come home, stained from head to toe with berry juice. It wasn't intentional, it's just; I was a scrawny little thing as I am now and some of the other kids were always older and bigger."

"They thought it would be funny to dunk me into the berry bush and they made me eat my way out of the berry bramble while they ran on home, laughing their heads off; it was night fall by the time my Mom found me. She was all ready to scold me, but…"

Tseng watched with amazement how angelic Cloud seemed to glow around the faint candlelight on the table and the nearby tables, "…But she felt sorry for me and just laughed at me, telling me that berries were for eating, not for swimming or bathing in. If the Gods had made them for us to bathe in them, they would've given us bathtubs in our homes to do so."

"Sounds like you have a not so ordinary, simple hometown Cloud…it sounds…wonderful, filled with country spirit," Tseng caught Cloud's eye; and for an instant, both knew something had clicked, each of their dreams had been deciphered, "So that's where we were in my dream."

Both men chuckled at the coincidence as they continued their conversation; each talking about the differing religions used within their home towns, but there was something that was on Cloud's mind, "I hope this doesn't come off as rude but…"

"What?" Tseng inquired as he put his glass down.

"What is the importance of the Tiger in Wutian culture?" Cloud asked as he tried to prepare himself for having Tseng laugh at him; he knew in Wutai, that the Tiger was a fierce animal that was held at high honor.

Tseng chuckled at Cloud's appearance, ""It is a very important symbol because while he is a fierce warrior for himself; he becomes the deadliest of assassins when you hurt his family."

"…Would you be a deadly assassin for me if I was ever in trouble?" this is when Cloud began to blush, but it darkened as he felt Tseng's hand move over his own as he turned his gaze up to the man's soft eyes.

"If you wish me to be…I will," Tseng leaned forward over the table as he softly brushed his lips in against Cloud's in which Cloud seemed to, without coming off as forced, deepened the kiss, "Would you like to get out of here?"

Cloud nodded as he rested his forehead against Tseng's, "Night still young and curfew still in effect?"

"For you…I think tonight, we could make an exception…"

"Where are we going?" Cloud called out in a rush as Tseng paid the bill in a rush and pulled the boy out onto the streets of Midgar and towards a far end of the Plate where a bustling almost twenty four seven carnival was a lit, "Golden Saucer?"

Tseng warmly smiled to the teen, "How about you show me what you country folks like to do for fun?"

"O-Okay!" Cloud took a hold of Tseng's hard this time as he lead him into the a lit carnival atmosphere, pointing at various things that he had only seen in fliers or had the chance to do when his Mom had the money for them to afford to travel into Town to enjoy the traveling carnivals.

Tseng laughed as he found himself being pulled along by the happy go luck teen and all but crashed into the boy when Cloud had stopped them near a makeshift stable that housed giant birds for many colors. Golden, Black, Red, Blue, they were all different in colors and each differed in abilities; when the birds spotted the spiky golden locks a top Cloud's head. The birds all but came to hen peck the teen which had caused Tseng to laugh under his breath till he found himself stopping when he heard Cloud paying the Stable Master for the chance to ride one of the birds.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Cloud called out as he began to search for his own feathered friend, "Alright, alright, stop pecking at me! I'm not one of you!"

The Stable Master chuckled as he watched Cloud climb one of the golden colored ones after much hen pecking of some of the nearby ones and the one he was mounting, "Don't worry kid, they don't bite too hard and its their way of saying 'Hi' they've just never seen someone like you before."

"Come on Tseng let's go race these guys, giddy up!" Cloud called out to the bird as he gave a slight kick in its sides as the bird went off on a dead run, "WHOA BIRDIE, WHOA!"

"Cloud!" Tseng called out as he mounted up on a black Chocobo and began to take chase after the run away bird, "Pull on the reins!"

"I can't reach them! Stop pecking at me you stupid BI---!"

Cloud had little to no time to react as he found himself becoming airborne as he flew into a nearby hay bale, "CLOUD!"

"Oh boy…"the Stable Master muttered under his breath as he ran towards the sight of the accident, "There's another lawsuit on my hands, I should just turn these birds into Chocobo Burgers."

Tseng dismounted off the bird as he found his way to the hay bale and began to sift through the hay and as he found a pair of blond spikes sticking up; he made his way towards them only to hear the sounds of softly giggling. Cloud had landed into the hay bale and was giggling with the sensation of his runaway Chocobo nibbling on some of the hay and mistaking parts of his own hair for pieces of hay.

"Cloud, Cloud, you alright?" Tseng began to sift through the hay until he found the giggling teen, "Cloud?"

Cloud laughed even harder when he saw Tseng leaning over him; his face a mere inches from his own, "Care to do something less dangerous?"

Tseng couldn't help laughing himself as he felt Cloud pull him into the hay bale with him; this had been the first time that Tseng had ever lightened up and had been actual human being around others. He had never been this way in as long as he had been employed to ShinRa; after he had joined with the company, he had learned to hide back all senses of human emotion. Showing emotion was considered a weakness and was the cause of a number of missions failing due to new Turks showing emotion during a Mission or even after a Mission was over. With Cloud, Tseng felt he could open up as he heard himself laughing along with Cloud; this was nice. But it seemed that a bit of Zack's personality had rubbed off on Cloud as Tseng felt a blade of grass tickling against his nose.

"I thought I'd share something else from my hometown…it's something my Mom taught me when I was little," Cloud softly whispered as he sat up, looking for a blade of grass that could work, "All you do is, wet your lips a little, purse them and then blow them against the blade of grass, like this…"

The sound that came from it sounded like something wet, but it had an almost magical sound to it as Tseng watched Cloud play with his little blade of grass; Tseng followed the teen's example as he tried to pick up the tune. Nothing could disturb this evening as they sat in the grassy field, playing away; each to their own was a kind of mating call in a way. Cloud stopped playing part of the way through as he watched Tseng picking up the tune as well as the game, he watched the man playing and it was like watching the tunes playing themselves. Tseng could tell Cloud's attention wasn't on the game anymore as he slowly pulled the blade of grass away from his lips as he watched Cloud's face change in just the slightest way.

"Tonight was a lot of fun," Cloud whispered as he inched up close against Tseng as he placed a soft kiss against the man's cheek, "Thanks…"

Tseng's cheek seemed to flare up with the heat of the kiss as he beckoned the boy closer, "Come here…I want to tell you something…"

"What is it?" Cloud inched in closer till he felt Tseng's fingers against his cheek and chin as they were pulled close to the man's lips as he heard the words come from his lips.

"…I love you," Tseng whispered as his arms wrapped around Cloud's waist, pulling him in close against his waist which seemed to tell Cloud the next move as lips brushed in against lips.

Tseng followed Cloud's example and after a while, the two had fallen to lying on the grassy field, looking up at the limited starry sky. Neither one wanted the night to end; each shared in a special treasured memory of when they were kids, much like Cloud had shared his treasure of making music with just a simple blade of grass.

Cloud turned onto his side towards a star gazing Tseng, "Did you ever do something like this as a kid, Tseng?"

"I didn't get to be a kid that much…I spent a lot of my time indoors because I was of poor health as a child, so I learned how to sing some of the old Folk Songs my Country knows of…my Mother was the one who taught me the songs…"Tseng grew a nostalgic smile on his face as he turned towards Cloud, rolling over on to his side as he brushed aside a strand of hair from Cloud's face.

Cloud simply nudged into the man's hand as Tseng's thumb brushed against Cloud's cheek, "What is a simple country boy like you doing in a place like this?"

"Is that pick up line from a book or an actual question?" Cloud chuckled as he sighed into Tseng's hand.

"An actual question," Tseng's fingertips brushed under Cloud's chin as his fingers wrapped around Cloud's chin, pulling him in for a gentle kiss, "Why are you even in ShinRa?"

"…I want to be something other then just a country bumpkin with a ninth grade education…I wanted to be something or someone, like General Sephiroth or Zack and the others…I wasn't going to get that back in Niblehiem…" Cloud sighed as he softly closed his eyes at Tseng's stroking fingertips, "I love my home town, but it's just…"

"It's just not complete…"

Tseng looked perplexed as he studied Cloud's quiet face, "What makes you think that?"

"It doesn't have you there…"Cloud softly remarked as he found he had moved in closer against Tseng till Tseng's arms had all but wrapped around him, "…My life isn't complete without you in it…"

"Cloud…"Tseng's fingers had found their way up through the back of Cloud's hair as he softly pulled the boy's lips into his own as he disregarded what their bodies were doing as he pulled Cloud on top of him as his legs intertwined with Cloud's.

Cloud seemed to feel safe, safe doing this; he had known that Zack and Reno had told him he didn't have to go all the way with Tseng on the first date, but just something about Tseng's body language had said other wise. It said that there was something there that Tseng wasn't telling him and should something happen to either one of them, now or in the future; they had to make it complete. They had to make one another complete. Tseng found that his hands had slipped from Cloud's locks and down the boy's back, his sides and as they rested on Cloud's backside. He found and saw the boy bucking up backwards with a soft groan coming from his lips. If they were do anything like that; a grassy field did not see either man losing their innocence out here in the open; if it was going to happen, it had to be somewhere private.

"I think its time we headed for home…" Tseng softly panted as pushed Cloud upwards, "Besides, it's getting a little nippy out here."

"Y-Yeah," Cloud took Tseng's lead as he took hold of the man's hand as he lead him back towards the city.

Things were going fine on their way back to the city as well back to, what it seemed like, Tseng's apartment, but what happened next; would change things forever; Cloud should have known to look where he was going, but fate other plans. Tseng heard the sounds of Cloud's squeak as the boy tripped over the sidewalk, but what he didn't expect was to be pulled down along with the boy. It was an awkward position they had fallen into; it would draw attention faster then Anti-ShinRa Coalition trying to attack the ShinRa building, let alone the President. Cloud had had many kisses that night from Tseng; meeting him at the door for their date, as Tseng brushed past him to let him know he was ready to go, cheekily stealing one off Tseng's lips when Cloud noticed a little bit of food hanging on the corner of Tseng's mouth to even the firework display to end out their ending at the Golden Saucer. But this one, it took the cake and everything else in between, it was more expressive then the fireworks that had burst behind them as Tseng managed to yell to Cloud over them that it was best they head for home. This time, it felt as if Tseng had planned for this happen, but the amount of pressure he was placing wasn't planned or staged, same was for Cloud's parting lips as he felt Tseng's tongue probing for entrance.

"T-Thank you...for helping me up, Tseng," Cloud chuckled in between the parted lips as he felt a soft kitten like licking of Tseng's tongue against Cloud's plumped lips, "But I think we would enjoy the rest of the evening a lot of better off the streets of Midgar and away from the audience forming around us."

Audience?

Tseng glanced up as he quickly gathered Cloud up against him as he heard the softly chuckling country boy's laughter vibrating against his chest; he almost mistook it for his cell phone, but Cloud's laughter was a special vibration. There was no ring tone in the world for his child like laughter as a blushing Tseng guided Cloud through the front of doors that lead up towards his apartment; Cloud hadn't stopped laughing as they got onto the elevator, the dings of the floors dinged along with Cloud's laughter. It hadn't been that funny so why was he still laughing?

He got his answer the moment they stepped off the elevator and Cloud stopped them near Tseng's apartment door, "Care to tell me what's so funny?"

"I promised a little bit of proof of what we did tonight to some people..." Cloud pulled out a small camera phone as he jumped up to capture Tseng's lips quickly as the soft click of the camera on the cell phone made its sound.

The only sound that followed after that was the sound of Cloud's soft purrs against Tseng's lips as he felt the man's arm wrapping around his waist as the other worked the lock on the door open, the door opened and then, the stage lights of the magical performance began to wind down. No lights were going to be found on this new stage forming its way onto the scene. The device, that had been the last thing to capture the last moments of the ending moment of the stage scene, found its new home on Tseng's floor among the other things that would find themselves homeless from their former home and into a new one; the floor of Tseng's living room, hallway and eventually, bedroom floor.


	12. Love and Danger

Love and Danger

Love is said to make us blind, haze our views and perceptions of the world around us, guiding us by our hearts, leaving us to be lead astray into the haze of the cloud that love creates around us. Our heads are clouded by the hazy cloud of love's spell on us, bewitching our every sense. Sight is covered by rose tinted glasses, smell is taking over by the sweet smells of our attractions perfume or cologne that is dappled on their forms, taste is overloaded by the sensation of the taste of our love's lips, and tongue, probing and prodding at our every sense of taste. Touch, is just as important as our other senses; it allows us to experience our others form with just the mere pads of our fingertips and they elicit the most intricate forms of passion to our partner. Our sense of hearing, it becomes deafened by loves sweet siren song as we sway with our love's form, to and fro, in our own worlds as if listening to song that only we can hear and that song is soon overlapped by the sounds of our partners cries of utter passion and desire. Sensory overload is something we all experience when our body is thrust into the dance of passion. Never before had Cloud experienced such a dance as the one that had begun just moments earlier and now, was becoming the slow waltz that had brought his body into the climax it had.

Everything had been so new.

Walls that had been built up leading up to the moment had been methodically torn down, brick by brick, fear by fear, until the only left standing was a young man who was open to the love being thrust upon him. Tseng had barriers that had still remained, but as he became to know why his own barriers had been put up, mostly due to his life as a Turk. He was able to methodically let them down much like Cloud's fingers had methodically traced through his sweaty locks till they reached the rubber band that was holding up his last barrier. Tseng had taken pride in keep his hair held back during anything; work, missions, around others, keeping to traditions of his own countries customs. But Cloud had gotten him past those personal barriers when he felt the teen's fingers had worked through his hair and stopped at the tie holding up his long hair; a playful tug now and again during the first moments. They had made Cloud curious as to how long Tseng's hair went down.

Even now, Cloud had wondered as he lay curled in the arms of Tseng, unconsciously running his fingers through silky locks; recalling what he had called Tseng when he first saw it flowing down and cascading over his shoulders.

~XXX~

_Cloud pulled away from Tseng as he felt Tseng's lips as well as teeth latch to his throat, much like the noble animal he had been labeling Tseng as moniker in his mind; he was Tiger, he would protect from everything. Hold him in close; guard him against the bad men of this world who would dare to hunt down his golden Chocobo, and lull him to sleep as he heard the soft purrs of his Tiger. Tseng was all his, all that he was giving to him, all the touches, caresses, kisses, and marks being left on his young body were all for Cloud, all for them. A guttural groaning moan ripped through Cloud's lips as he felt that Tseng was becoming more then just a curious little Tiger cub, looking to play; Tseng had begun to find his weak points as he felt the Tiger's paws playing with his Chocobo. Sensations were overloading his mind as he fought to maintain control, but all he could do was hold on and just enjoy the sensations; no one could ever love him like Tseng, and he could never love anyone else. Tseng's claws had found their way to Cloud's waistline and had begun to dig at the belt holding up the pants and acted as a barrier to keep the teen's innocence intact even still. Tiger want into his Chocobo and Chocobo would be made to submit if the Tiger had anything to say about it, but it seemed his Chocobo had his own claws on him._

_Tseng winced lightly as his claws stopped their clawing and grappling at the barriers holding Cloud innocence at bay, "W-What are you doing, C-Cloud?" he could barely maintain his own voice, let alone, speak; his sense of speech of was overthrown by the sensory overload that had been thrown into the throes of overdrive, "What are you doing?"_

"…_I want to see your mane flow my Tiger…I want to see flow and billow down on me…I want to run my fingers through it my Tiger…can I see it?" Cloud may have not seemed the type to be a seducer, but in the heat of passion; even the meekest become hot blood seductress' and seducers, "Please…let me see it…"_

"…_I would never deny you anything…as your Tiger and protector…I would do anything to keep you happy…"Tseng purred in against Cloud's ear as he leaned his head in closer against Cloud's neck, lightly lapping at the marks he had already left once that evening; chuckling to himself when he heard airy moans._

_Cloud's fingers fought to keep their hold on Tseng's head as he felt his Tiger leaving his marks of ownership on him once again and it seemed his Tiger was at attention to make the Chocobo his own. It was truly made clear when he felt the attention of his Tiger brush in hard against his thigh, causing a reflex of Cloud's yank hard on his Tiger's bound mane. Tseng had all but drawn back his head, in the process, nearly taking a piece of flesh from Cloud's neck and throat as Cloud gasped out harder as he felt the attention hit him harder again._

"_AAAH!" Cloud could barely hard contain the sensation it had brought; it was new and different, exhilarating but yet, unsure how to understand the sensation it brought._

_Tseng looked to Cloud's eyes as he looked for fear and pain, but what he didn't find was any of those things, "You alright?"_

"_I'm alright…it's just…your keys are poking into my thigh and wasn't ready for them to be doing that to me…"Cloud nervously chuckled as he leaned up slightly, brushing in against Tseng's lips as he began to regain his hold on Tseng's head, especially his Tiger's mane's barrier, "…Could you take them out of your pocket before you end up poking me again?"_

_Now it was Tseng's turn to be embarrassed, "…Those aren't my keys," he softly purred against Cloud's ear as he saw Cloud's eyes look to where they sat on the bedroom side table where they had been left once they had entered the apartment._

"_Oh…oh…OH," Cloud had begun to turn beet red as reality set in that it hadn't been his keys and that wasn't a banana from the kitchen his pocket; once it had set in, the moaning 'OH' had come from Tseng's lips returning to his neck once again._

"_Focus only on me my little one…focus only on me…"Tseng purred as he ran his nose in against Cloud's hairline; forgetting Cloud's fumbling fingers as he heard a soft gasp on the next brush of leg and teeth grazing at the base of Cloud's skull, "What's wrong?"_

_Cloud couldn't speak as he bent his neck to the side, giving Tseng further access to his neck as he continued to run his fingers, fumbling fingers, through Tseng's long locks, "…Your mane is beautiful my Tiger…I should call you my Lion…being that Tiger's don't have mane's, but…this is truly beautiful…it's so long and silky…"_

_Tseng softly chuckled, purring as he brought his face back to face Cloud's as his fingers caressed Cloud's soft, supple, innocent face, "You can call me whatever you like…like, you're my little Chocobo…"_

"_Not a Chocobo…"Cloud softly pouted which seemed to make Tseng chuckled as he leaned into capture the pouting lips, probing at them now and again for entrance in which he was privy to as he felt Cloud's lips open for his entreating tongue._

~XXX~

Tseng had taken rapture in the sensations he had felt during the evening with Cloud; he had never felt this way before, he had managed to open him into a world he hadn't been privy to since he was a boy. Living in Wutai, he had had carefree days while also having to live up to the expectations his parents had for him; his parents were High Elders of their Village and they had hoped that one day, Tseng would take on such a role. He had broken their hearts when he had been entreated by the President of ShinRa to join his company, mainly at the behest of his young son, then only merely five years old at the best, Rufus Shinra. Rufus had seen something in Tseng and he wanted to make his father happy being that the young youth barely was privy to any entreaties from his Father. His parents were none to thrilled with Tseng's choice to leave the country of Wutai for the urban jungle of Edge and Midgar, but if it made their son happy; they would support him. How could they have known that their decision would be the best one they could've ever made? Their decision had at this moment, made him happy as he held onto the thing that had made this decision a happy one. Cloud was softly snoring against his chest; soft Chocobo spiky locks brushing against his olive oil brushed skin now and again.

This had been the boy's first, as well as his own, time doing the enrapturing things they had done with one another.

~XXX~

_Cloud softly moaned as he felt Tseng's tongue, almost as if it had been a practiced act brushing against every sensitive spot on his tongue and every corner of his mouth. Tseng returned the sounds as felt Cloud's fingers running their sensitive fingertips up through the inner backing of his hair, running them down his locks till he felt their grip holding onto his back. His little Chocobo was surely a curious little prey. He could feel Cloud's lips twisting into a smug little smirk against his lips which only entreated him to press on with their kiss till he felt the boy losing air. A pearl like string of saliva hung between the panting, bruised lips as both figures looked to one another as if waiting for the other to call the shots. It seemed his Chocobo would be the one to call the shots as he felt Cloud's fingernails flexing and relax on his lower back like a predatory cat flexing its claws against the carpet. When they reached Tseng's posterior; that was when things had taken a change for what could be considered the better. Cloud's smug smile had seemed to had grown into a devious little one as his tongue softly kitten licked Tseng's bruising lower lip, "…I love you, my Tiger…but…I want to know that truly love me…make me yours Tiger…"_

~XXX~

That had become the cry from Cloud's lips up until the very end when he had become silent as he was now against Tseng's chest; the only words that had been simply on his lips were words of love. Till they had stopped moving, only forming into a simply thin line of a content smile as he felt his Tiger forever watching over him while he slept; it was something he had only dreamt of. Even now as they slept, their dreams were becoming one, much like the biblical description of how the world shall be when things have become as they should be once all trials and tribulations have passed. Their dreams were much like that, the Lion, in this case, the Tiger, was lying with the lamb, or for this, the Chocobo.

Peace.

That's all it was.

A simple thought that was enough to dream of, but it had been something that had come over them as they begun their own war with one another while their bodies had grappled for domination of the other.

~XXX~

"…_Love my Tiger, make me yours," Cloud whispered again, sinking his claws even harder into Tseng's posterior, bucking his hips up against Tseng's._

_Tseng growled faintly as he flashed Cloud's arms off his back and up against the headboard, gathering his wrists up over the teen's head with one hand as the other brushed fingertips against the boy's cheek. What was the rush? They had ever moment alone tonight to just enjoy one another's company and one another, why did he feel this needed to be rushed. _

_He softly leaned and kissed the teen with a soft chaste kiss, "…I will, but why do you seem so anxious to go so far, so soon?"_

"…_I've heard rumors of a mission that involves my hometown…my Teacher mentioned that the rumor also said that it was possible that a couple of Cadets are going to be considered to go along with a SOLDIER and the General…I…I…I…" Cloud began to choke up as he turned his attention away from Tseng, "I don't want to leave for it if I'm one of those Cadets without knowing you love me!"_

_Cloud's fingers fought to wriggle out of Tseng's clutched one around his wrists which Tseng's allowed as Cloud threw his arms around Tseng's neck, softly sobbing in against the man's neck, "Just let me know you love me before I have to go away!"_

"_Cloud…"Tseng softly whispered as he pulled the boy into his arms, "…Don't ever think that I don't love you…I have and will always love you…even if we're worlds apart and if death separates us, we shall always be together in love and in the life after this…"_

"_Have you been reading Loveless?" Cloud softly chuckled to himself through his tears, "Or are you just a hopeless romantic?"_

"_Maybe a little of both…"_

~XXX~

Tseng couldn't help but chuckle at his own remark as he watched Cloud still peacefully sleeping in his arms; such innocence should never see the sights of war, death, destruction, and blood coming from those you once grew up with. He had seen enough of that for Cloud to never have to see it. It had not been no more than six months when Tseng had been placed in charge of the Turks shortly after the previous leader had been "permanently resigned." Reasons behind the sudden resignation of its previous leader were not details that were privy to be to spoken about, even though the ones that had recently gotten hired on were not to speak of it. There had been hostility towards Tseng when he had been placed in the position, but eventually, things balanced themselves out until word had come out that opposition was rising up. What he never knew it was opposition that he had grown up around as a child in Wutai and he would be the one to send in the men that would in the end wipe out people he had grown up with. A brave face had to be put on when he was asked to go in the steed of the President to speak to the Leaders of Wutai. It had faced much hatred from his own hometown when he came to speak on the behalf of the "White Devil", Shinra; especially his own Mother and Father leered at him with hate. It was the only they could do to save face in front of the other Villagers, but when they had managed to get Tseng alone; they had apologized immensely for their shunning of their own son. His Mother had cried her tears all over his suit while his Father, in failing health as it had seemed even then and before he had left, consoled his Mother. Never once did they hate him for what had happened in the opposition battle between the Opposition of Wutai Regulation Army and the ShinRa Troops. They blamed the ones of their Village for wishing to go to war against ShinRa. No one could ever win against a power that had the power of the Planet working to its advantage to create human weapons that were the SOLDIERS.

Even when he heard that they were being moved out of Wutai and towards the mountainous region of Junon at the behest of the other Leaders when they had begun their works to create a creature to combat ShinRa. He had feared for their safety, all that fear would be shattered when he heard that his Father had died unfortunately from the illness that had grappled at him while they had been in Wutai. His Mother couldn't bear to stay in the barren snowy mountains of Junon anymore and had made the trek back to Wutai alone that same year. Death would once again visit to Tseng's desk when had received the report on his desk of the last known High Elder from Wutai had been found on the outskirts of the jungles of Wutai only a few days ago. She had been his Mother. His own people had driven his parents from the land to save them because they had held onto old traditions.

He had cried his tears in secret and away from the prying camera eyes of the ShinRa building and his office.

~XXX~

_Seeing Cloud's own tears right now out of sheer fear of losing his life in battle and never knowing he was loved; he knew how much this meant to the boy and how much Tseng meant to the teen. No amount of words could confess what he felt towards this boy, but he had to let this boy know he was loved if it were to be the case for him to be sent to Niblehiem._

_Once Tseng had soothed out Cloud's tears, consoled the boy and Cloud had become capable of looking Tseng in the eyes without crying, "…Even if we are apart…know that I will always and have always loved you…"_

"…_I know that, but…I want to have a part of you always with me…"Cloud whispered as he placed his forehead against Tseng's; his fingers slowly crept up under the backside of Tseng's long raven locks, "…Just love me…make love to me…I know we are both new to this sensation, but…I want this…"_

_Those immortal words would be the last full sentence words that would leave Cloud's lips as he felt Tseng's lips brushing in against his, rocking and pushing in against them much like their waists. Cloud would now and again chuckle as he felt Tseng's lips and tongue brushed in against his own; his legs wrapped around the man's small waist as he felt and saw Tseng lie them back down on the bed. Tseng body was almost a continuation of Cloud's as he seemed to fluidly flow into and against Cloud's form. Their dance had begun and it was much like watching a fluid bedroom scene from any Hollywood movie; everything was in slow motion from how Tseng's hands moved up and down Cloud's pale chest. Leaving loving bite marks and kisses against Cloud's neck, pulse point, slowly moving down to his collar bone where he left a faint, but gentle bite to the middle of the bone. A fluttering groan with a twist of moan had come from Cloud's lips as he felt that Tseng's hands were holding him close; loved, adored, admonished and lathered with affection. All for him. All his Tiger. Tseng's hands were creative with this being the only time Tseng had ever done this with a man, one hand held its own as it clawed, pushed, and danced through the back of Cloud's locks. Just enjoying the soft velvet sensations he felt there while his other began to play at the soft flesh of Cloud's chest, tracing gentle clawing fingernails down from the head of his breastbone. Fingers splayed out against one side of the boy's ribs, but that wasn't enough. He needed to feel them with both hands; the hand in the boy's locks slowly came down as they followed along with lips locked in against the left side of Cloud's neck. They traced down with the fingers as they left soft, hot kisses down to his shoulder then the crevice between his chest and arm. Hand met with other sided ribs as both hands began their soft massage and memorization of how they felt as they filled and deflated; Tseng could feel Cloud's heart racing under his right hand. _

_This was exhilarating and a rush._

_There was meat on Cloud's body so Tseng couldn't feel the boy's ribs compared to how he was sure Cloud could feel them on Tseng as he saw that the boy's hands had begun to memorizing Tseng's form. The boy's breathing was controlled which brought Tseng to attempt something he may not have though of before as he brushed lips that had touched the supple curve of the boy's neck. They now touched sensitive nub on Cloud's chest that all but caused Cloud to leave claw marks against Tseng's skin, but once Cloud had begun use to the wet sensation. He had let his hands go back to discovering Tseng's chest, slender and lean, to the simplistic shape of Tseng's curved back, running fingertips up and down the curvature of Tseng's spine. With this he earned a few purrs from his powerful Tiger till he nearly sunk his own claws into Tseng's back like he had all but done on the man's chest. It was almost too much of what Tseng was doing to him, the sensation of his lips on his pertly forming to hard nipple was enough, but the loving torture of the twisting motions of the other? It was too much. He was going to lose his very mind, but he couldn't just yet. With a flick of Tseng's tongue against hardened nub, he pulled away to lavish love to the rest of Cloud's chest as soft lips brushed down to the little push button that was his belly button. _

_So good._

_So good his Tiger did to him, it was leaving his toes curling against the sheets and his clawing fingers had begun to massage at Tseng's shoulders as he felt Tseng's plunge into his naval. Oh, so deep and good it felt; what would it feel like to feel that sensation in other places? Heat was pooling within the nearby regions as Tseng's continued to lavish affection on that one little pool; he needed more. But it seemed that Tseng seemed to know what Cloud's body needed more then Cloud. He watched as Tseng's soft eyes slipped up back to his glazed ones; he wouldn't go any further without Cloud's permission._

_All of this was for him._

"…_May I?" Tseng softly asked from where he had his eyes trained on Cloud's belted fabric waist._

_With a soft nod from Cloud, Tseng returned his attention to the belt that held up the denim barrier holding back yet another barrier; each rung of the belt was an annoying tug at Cloud's waist. He felt the heat been growing from the start of their foreplay and now, it was just painful; enough playing around, he needed the release as he softly moaned at the release that was given. His jeans found their way to being pooled down to about his ankles and slowly and very soon, his boxers would be following suit. It didn't take long for them to come down till Cloud had let out a relieved moan as he felt it slap against his stomach. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing to see his Tiger looking at it with interest as if he didn't know what to do with himself. _

_Cloud bit down on his lip as he felt Tseng's hand brush up against it and slowly began to stroke it, "T-Tseng…"_

"…_I'm still here…"Tseng softly whispered as he let his hand move down Cloud's hardened member, "…I'm here…let me love you, Cloud…"_

_There were no words for what happened next as everything seemed a flash of everything within that solitary moment as Cloud's hands grappled at Tseng's raven locks the moment he felt Tseng's lips enclose that part of Cloud. If one was to walk into the darkened room and see the faint shadow on the wall from the moonlight streaming into the room on the duo. Someone would've assumed Tseng had a water pump in his bed. Tseng's mouth and tongue seemed to lave unending affection upon Cloud; Cloud's toes continued to curl and uncurl in succession to Tseng's bobbing head, but when Tseng lifted his head from Cloud's region. A sense of worry came over Cloud as he wondered if something had happened, maybe Tseng had realized this was all wrong. But it hadn't been wrong; he had shown his lavishing affection to Cloud, he just didn't want it to be finished just yet._

"_W-Why…Why did you stop?" Cloud stuttered out through panting breaths coming from panting lips, "W-What…What's wrong?"_

_Tseng gave a faint kiss to the head of the till turgid and hard member, "Just want to deny the inevitable still…"_

"…_I would never leave you unfilled, I just have something I want to do to make you mine…"Tseng leaned in close as he softly kissed Cloud as a hand reached over to the nightstand, fumbling for a bottle that he had placed into hiding until he would need it._

~XXX~

It had been given to him by Reno after he had found out that Tseng was seeing Cloud that evening and Reno being Reno, the man had figured something would come out of the first date besides just a few 'Goodnight' kisses. Reno may be many things, but a man that would want for his Boss to take advantage of one of his friends, he was not; he was looking out for the interest of both men. With best wishes, he had left the bottle in Tseng's hands after he had left him earlier in the evening before he had met up with Zack to go and raid Cloud's room. When this night was over, and the morning came if he ran into Reno; he would have to thank him for his help, and thank him for always being watchful over the one he was blissfully and fully in love with. Cloud had some crazy friends, but in more then one way or another; he knew them better then Cloud did, they would never let the boy get hurt.

And if Tseng ever did hurt the boy, they would hurt him back.

~XXX~

_A slight scream came from Cloud as he felt something cold prodding at his backside as well as something of flesh that began to seal away the heat pooling from that one simple entrance. Tseng's lips softly kissed his fear laced lips which took his attention away from the wondering digit as it began its soft entranced prep work; Cloud's mind was set into utter tailspin as it was drawn away from a second digit working its way in. But Cloud's hips bucked up against the digits wondering actions as Tseng hissed against Cloud's lips when he felt fingernails leaving claw marks against his back; he had hit the place Reno had told him that he would know he had hit when Cloud did one of many things. _

"_W-What…d-did…did you do? What was that?" Cloud stuttered as he tried to keep his heart in his chest, the utter pleasure senses that were being pushed or had been pushed were inhibiting his speech, "What did you just do?"_

_Tseng softly nibbled at Cloud's lips, "A little place known to cause moments of pleasure…"_

"_D-Do it again…"Cloud mumbled as met the brushes of it with a move up of his hips, "Do it again…"_

_There was no need for Cloud to beg as Tseng pushed in against it with the digit as he saw Cloud's body shiver with anticipation as he scissored the digits, working the entrance open as they push in and out of the boy's body. He softly purred as he felt Cloud's wrap around his waist, but when he pulled away from entrance and lips, a sense of worried fear came over Cloud. But Tseng could never leave the boy undone. His placed a soft finger against Cloud's lips as the other hand, free from the boy's kissing lips, worked his own pants down. But this time, it was Cloud turn to be the undresser as he worked his hands onto Tseng's waist, nimble fingertips played with the belt that hugged at Tseng's thin waist. Once they got to the belt buckle, Cloud could see what had been poking him in the thigh during their earlier foreplay; it wasn't his keys but his own pooling heat. Tseng watched as Cloud unbuttoned, unzipped and slipped the man's pants off his hips; Cloud was softly and slowly taking his time to discover Tseng's form as thumbs hooked into the sides of the man's shorts. Slowly, like a temptress does when disrobing her clothing for the viewing pleasure of men, he made the man's shorts come down till Tseng was forced to stand up to take off pants and undergarments. The mere sight of Tseng as he was mesmerized the shy country boy; it seemed that the Jungle had done some good for Tseng when it came to where it counted. A dark blush was growing on Cloud's face as he stared at the man's proud self; he was leery to touch it like Tseng had done his. But when he felt Tseng's hands upon his own, guiding them to every inch of his own chest, torso and stomach; he felt like he was not being pushed to do anything. Self discovery is all about the journey._

_A small dabble of raven hairs created a trail down where it stood at the attention and waited on Cloud's waiting hands, "…Take your time…I'm not going anywhere…" Tseng had softly whispered from where he seemed to tower over Cloud._

"_Do you think it'll fit?" Cloud managed to whisper as he continued to stay curious of the dabbling little trail that seemed to tickle Cloud's fingers but it made Tseng moan with heady feeling._

"_That is what I was thinking, but…I'm sure it will…you're pretty tight, but…"Tseng's lubricated fingers slowly pulled their way out of Cloud's entrance, tracing up the split between his cheeks as they started to come up his thigh as the hand raised Cloud's leg up._

_Lips started to brush softly in against the fleshy part of the thigh till it reach the bend of the boy's knee; if he could grow taller in the moment, he would've brushed lips up against the knob of Cloud's ankle. Lovingly kissed and lavished his heel to giving as much attention from his very sole to the pert little toes that been curling and uncurling with each brush of pleasure. Cloud seemed to forget about standing on ceremony as he placed a hand around the body form in front of him as he placed another on Tseng's abdominals, stopping Tseng in place._

_Cloud's soft, tender smile said it all, "Let's try…"_

~XXX~

Tseng had grown to love that sweet tender smile; he had seen it so much that evening, meeting him at his room in the Barracks as he said his thankful goodbyes to his friends, dinner when they had talked about their own hometowns. When they both realized what their dreams had meant, when he had proclaimed that he would always be there to protect Cloud. The trip into the Golden Saucer, the rides on the Chocobo's to the final part of the evening of indulging in an old time child like game that Cloud had enjoyed as a boy to even the fireworks that had erupted in the sky and between them. The final tender smile he had seen had been when he had jumped up to kiss him, snapping a photo of their final act of the night to later show off to his friends. Cloud was truly a special boy. He had made Tseng remember that he was human, not a robot that had to hide all forms of emotion just because he was in ShinRa; he never wanted to lose that smile or the memory of it.

He would never want to see that smile disappear and be replaced by pain.

~XXX~

"_AAH! AAH! AAH! T-TSENG!" Cloud screamed out as he felt the first tentative pushes of Tseng into him; it hurt so much, why did it hurt like this? _

_Tseng couldn't bare the thought that he was hurting the sweet and innocent little golden haired boy, but when he tried to pull away, Cloud seemed to hold on, "D-Don't let go! I-It'll start to get better…I know it will…make it feel good, Tseng…make it feel good…"_

"…_I promise to make it better…nothing will ever hurt you…"Tseng gave another tentative thrust that was met with a moan, "I promise to never hurt you…"_

_Another thrust with a moan, strangling out with a groan as he felt fingers grappling for his forearms, "Never, ever, hurt you…"_

"_AAH! Y-YES! YES TSENG! NEVER HURT! LOVE ME! LOVE ME TSENG!" Cloud's eyes began to trickle soft salty tears which Tseng leaned down to kiss away; just that mere shift of position and weight struck something in Cloud, "T-THERE! DO IT AGAIN! RIGHT THERE!"_

_Tseng drove in again as he heard a moaning laughter come from Cloud as he felt the muscles within that once tight entrance squeeze around his pounding form, tight, so tight, was going to rip it off if Cloud didn't stop. But it felt so good. So good. The jabs continued into that one spot as over and over again, Cloud announced to Tseng that it felt so good, among other colorful terms and descriptions. The same heat he had been feeling before when it had been trapped behind a fabric barrier was coming, but it wasn't the same. It was a heat of something else._

"_Cloud…I'm thinking I'm going to come…It might feel weird, but you have to trust me…okay?" Tseng whispered as he leaned in close to Cloud's face, but the boy didn't mind, all he wanted was to be made Tseng's._

_With a soft shake of his head in answer, Tseng felt his head being held in against the crook of Cloud's neck while a free hand worked its way down between Cloud's thighs, "T-Too much! Too much! Going to come too soon! T-Tseng! Tseng stop! Don't want to come too soon…want to come with you! T-Tseng…TSENG!" _

_A burst of stars crossed both men's view as Cloud left claw marks in Tseng's back as Tseng continued to keep his hips flush against Cloud's pelvis to make sure it all went in and stayed, "…T-Thank you my Tiger…oh…love you so much…"_

"…_Love…you too…Cloud," Tseng felt as if his soul had been sucked up through Cloud's body as he fell to the side, pulling Cloud in close against him as to make sure it all stayed in, "Love you too…Chocobo…"_

~XXX~

That was where it had all come down to.

But as all stories go, some are meant to have happy endings, and then there are those that would have them if something didn't interfere; the soft buzzing of Tseng's phone on the nightstand said it all. Even the caller I.D.

_Lazard._

~XXX~

Zack returned back to his room to find someone sitting on his sofa; it was a shock to see someone in his room when he was led to assume that only Angeal and a various other number of others had extra keys to his room. Whoever the intruder was; they weren't going to like getting their ass kicked by a scared Puppy who was hiding it really well. But when the figure began to move towards him, that's when Zack began to make bolt for the door; when familiar hands wrapped around his waist, holding him in close. Familiar scents began to fill his senses as he heard a familiar voice chuckling as it finished whispering in the boy's ear the things he had come to discuss with him as well as a few other things. Zack's body loosened up as he let the figure, purring as it seemed, carry him to the bedroom housed in the back of the small SOLDIER room; from there, other sounds and scents were wafting through the air. They were then later pierced by the sounds of fighting and screaming, words out of anger and a door slamming behind another as the door was slammed opened and shut again with the sounds of footsteps running after other footsteps.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THEY HAD PICKED CLOUD TO GO ON THIS MISSION!? HE'S STILL A KID! HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY OF THE TRAINING NECESSARY FOR THAT MISSION! WHY DIDN'T YOU DO SOMETHING?!" Zack screamed at the figure as he prepared to deck the man, but the man's hand took hold of it as well as the other that attempted to swing around for a punch in place of the failed one, "LET GO OF ME, ANGEAL!"

"I HAD NO SAY IN THE MATTER! THIS CAME FROM THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF!"

Zack's face became crestfallen, "What?"

"If you would stop your yapping for five seconds I could tell you what is going on…or at least what I know," Angeal sighed as he let the boy's arms fall down to his sides.

What transpired next would forever remembered in the back of Zack's mind and stored for later, especially when he could be alone with Cloud to tell him what was going on. Fears of what could happen, the intentions of it, and what was lying in the Reactor in Niblehiem, as well as rumor that Genesis had been spotted around the town as well as the Reactor; mutterings of using 'the gift of the Goddess to gain what should enable him to become human once more so his God will accept him again.' It didn't make any sense to Zack; everything jumbled in his head, none of it made sense.

Even those who knew about it didn't know how to make heads or tails of it.

"…So you're telling me…we're nothing more then Monster Fodder?" Zack finally spoke up as stopped pacing the cat walk, "We're suppose to go in there, stop Genesis, and possibly destroy some calamity that nearly destroyed the Planet over a 100 years ago?"

Angeal ran a hand through the back of his head, "In a nutshell, yes."

Zack tried to hide all sense of emotion from Angeal, but he couldn't, "…Why can't you come with us?" the teen seemed to revert back to a little boy back in the hills of Gongaga, "I don't know what I'll be able to do without you…"

"Hey, hey…shh…"Angeal gathered the boy up into his arms as he kissed the boy's temple, rocking him to and fro in his arms, "I'll be on call should they need me to come pick up the mess you guys make out there…besides."

Angeal pulled the boy away from him for a moment, "Tseng is going on the flight with you guys and I've heard Reno is flying you guys out there and Sephiroth's going with you guys. There's nothing to be scared about…"

"Cloud doesn't need to see destruction…he's still an innocent kid…"Zack sobbed against Angeal's chest.

There was no consoling the Puppy at this point; all that was left was to take him back to his quarters and console him as best he could, and at best, enjoy what time he had left before he too would be crying for his Puppy. He would have to endure the separation of not having the happy go lucky teen waiting to pounce on him out of the corner of some hallway and lavish him with peppering kisses. Angeal had to stay strong for Zack, only after the boy was on his way to Niblehiem, and he was alone could he break down.

"…It'll be alright…it'll be alright…"

~XXX~

Soft, nimble fingers played against pale white skin while youthful skin rested against long fiery red locks, "…Do you like working for my, Dad, Reno?"

"It has its perks," Reno softly kissed the side of the young Shinra's head, "not to say you're one of them, but at least I'm not leaving out on the Lower Plate in the Slums where I grew up as a Slum Rat…My Ma wanted what was best for me and she did what she could to make ends meet after my Pa up and left us…"

"You would've loved my Ma…and she would've loved you."

Rufus softly nuzzled in closer against his bedroom companion and lover, "What was she like?"

"My Ma?" Reno quirked an eye at the boy, "You don't want to hear about that, besides, I'm going to have start getting my butt out here before your old man finds me in here with you…I'm already in almost deep enough hot water with my Boss for even being with you kid."

"…Will I see you again, Reno?"

There is no good in making empty promises to anyone; that had always been his Ma's favorite saying especially when she would come home after a long night of working the streets of Sector Seven. She would promise the moon and the stars to any Johnny of the night that would pay for her "company" but when it came down to it, especially the ones that had the odd ball kinks. She would down right refuse and tell the man that she would only do what she always advertised; quick, quality sex. A philosophy that even Reno had picked up and used to his advantage in his line of work; no use in making promises to anyone because you'll only break their heart when you can't bring the goods. But Rufus Shinra was different.

The boy lived in a life where not even his Father cared to know he existed except use him for opportunities when he saw it fitted him best for the situation or when the situation had called for it. He was just a prop like everything else in the cheesy ShinRa propaganda; place him in a marked spot on the floor and then remove him once the lights and camera were off. Making empty promises to the kid was not something he could do. He couldn't break the boy's already fragile heart.

With a soft smirk, and salute as well wink; "Sure thing, Rufus…maybe once things settle down a little…"

Reno left that day with a memory that would stay with him clear through his days when he could truly be with the boy again, when he became a man, but things were starting to fall into place in their own way. As if someone or something, like his conscious that reminded him a lot of Tseng, knew where he was; his phone rang.

"This Reno, what's up?"

It was Cissnei and it didn't sound like a friendly chat, "…Lazard needs to see you. He said it's urgent regarding the rumored mission going around."

Reno swore under his breath, "Thanks…I'll be there…"

_Damn it! I wanted to keep Cloud out of the field as long as possible!_


	13. Departure

TTATC XIII :Departure

Sephiroth kept staring at his cell phone; he had gotten the message that he was needed at Lazard's office before anyone else to inform him of the Mission that had been recently confirmed by the President. Of course it was the President's reason and backing for why this was going up sooner then anyone was ready for. It had always been President ShinRa's intentions that forces be sent to the various Mako Reactors to check on the status of the Reactor, but the one that he was sending a team to was important. President ShinRa may have been the one to lead up the Company, but the head scientist responsible for much of what ShinRa was known for had insisted that a particular figure be checked into while the men were in Niblehiem. The man had talked about it with a dark smile on his lips as if he had intentions involving Sephiroth and those that would be accompany him to the country town of Niblehiem.

But when it is such a person as Hojo.

You don't question the man.

Over and over, Sephiroth had read over the message that had been left on his phone; it was going to be like any other simple mission, get in, talk to the locals, check the Reactor, make your report and get your tail back in this building before tries to take you out or tails you back to the Main Building and finds a way to pop off the President. Simple enough. But he wasn't going to be alone; he would be having his closest friend's student and a young man that he had possibilities on thoughts had been an unwilling victim in helping Genesis in his plans. The plans that had left Sephiroth with a gape in his heart that he couldn't forget or get over; Genesis had planted sees of doubt, love, and passion in his heart and then had ripped them from the Earth before they were ready to be plucked out by their roots; in Sephiroth's case, he had been ripped by more then his roots, but he had been ripped deep down from the very base of his own heart. He was willing to give Genesis the benefit of a doubt that he loved the man, but at the same point; he couldn't fake those emotions or doubt. He truly did love Genesis. Genesis had a funny way of showing it back after all the times Sephiroth had ignored him.

Get over it. He's gone. He left. Good riddance. He doesn't care. Move on.

"...But I can't, I can't just get over it and move on!" Sephiroth overturned his desk as his desk phone and intercom system went toppling onto the floor, "I WANT HIM! BUT I CAN'T IF HE WON'T ACCEPT THAT I FEEL THE SAME FOR HIM AS HE DOES FOR ME! STOP TOYING WITH ME!"

Even with the intercom and phone on the floor, a worried Secretary came over the man's crackling system, "Mr. Sephiroth, are you alright, sir?"

"I'm fine. Just having a moment, please return back to your business and forward all my calls to my voice mail...I'm off to speak to Director Lazard, I do not know when I will return," Sephiroth kicked at the phone in his passing steps to the door, through the door and down corridors he knew all too well that would lead him to Lazard's office.

~XXX~

Zack had fallen asleep in Angeal's arms; he had all but cried himself to sleep in the man's rocking embrace as he had listened to the sounds of Angeal's soft humming. He never could recall the sensation of Angeal kneeling down to scoop Zack up with an arm that he had managed to free to place it under Zack's knees; picking him up into a bridal style. The boy had still been asleep as Angeal managed to open the door with an arm full of Puppy, muttering to himself in his sleep. Each muttered phrase was breaking his heart, slice by slice it was cutting deeper and deeper into the barrier he was trying to keep together that he had formed when he had first heard of the rumored mission before it had been a rumor. Maintaining that barrier was the hardest thing to do and not let it fall in front of the boy in his arms. He sworn to himself that he would never cry in front of Zack; if he did, he wouldn't know if he would ever be able to stop their flow even if Zack was try and comfort the tearful man. Enough tears had been shed on the behalf of others before; his Mother's face when he had told her was leaving the home he had grown up in for the inner city of Midgar for SOLDIER, his first night away from home. In secret, he had cried after his first time of having Mako pumped into his system; Genesis had held him that night and rocked his friend, telling him, promising, that it would get better. It was all part of the process of becoming the tools of war for the Company. He had held back tears when he had received word that his Father had been killed by a monster on the far outskirts of their town and the heart wrenching pain it had brought his Mother, but she had told him that it was merely the will of the Goddess.

Was this her will now?

Make him watch this youth that had sobbed his heart out in front of him so many times before and even now when he had felt betrayed by the one he had held close to his heart, dearer, then any other person or being. Sure, he held Cloud and Reno close to his heart because they were his friends; he would even die for them, but Angeal had found his way into Zack's heart in a way that didn't measure up to the level of friendship and honor to protect them. Angeal had been marked as a special case in his heart and mind. Angeal was someone he could not bare the thought of losing, if he ever was to lose the man; he wouldn't know what to do with himself, let alone, be able to keep himself together. It was pure torture if this was the Will of the Goddess for him to be here to comfort the youth in his arms that he would soon be losing to a steel bird that would be taking him to an entirely different continent.

It's not fair.

It's not fair at all that I have to let him go like this...

When had he become more then just the boy's Mentor? The day he had realized that Zack was special, something that the others had stared on in amazement and wonder; shiny and all for the taking. Beautiful he was and breathtaking to behold, but he had seen and heard the boys who had eyed Zack. The devious little thoughts and smirks they had given with their lips and eyes towards the teen while he stood unawares at his Mentor's side. It was then he had learned that Zack was his and his alone to protect, love, and cherish. All others would be met with death. But now; as he looked down at the teen in his arms, he didn't see that youthful young youth who had just come in off the Transport Truck from the backwater village of Gongaga; he was a man, with angelic features. It broke his heart to have to see him like this.

This would be the boy's first solo mission without him.

He couldn't let him go.

He's become like a son to me...and a lover to me as well...I don't know what I would do with my life if I ever lost him...

Before he knew it, the one thing he didn't want to do was happening before he had time to stop it; thankfully, Zack was a heavy sleeper as Angeal rocked him in his arms, but when Zack started to notice the lack of air and the sight of dark black fabric against his face that was inhibiting his ability to breathe. He began to stir as he pushed at Angeal's chest so that he could breathe and look up to see where the cold, wet drops were coming from and what he found, broke his heart.

"A-Angeal? Why are you crying? Baby, why are you crying?!" Zack latched his arms around Angeal's neck as Angeal seemed to stop rocking the young man in his arms, "Why are you crying? I'm the one who should be crying..."

Angeal seemed to stop as he realized that Zack had latched his arms around his neck, "...I don't want to let you go, Zack...I don't want you to see what is there..."

"I don't want to go either, but...its part of the job description," Zack whispered against Angeal's ear as he nuzzled his cheek against Angeal's wet cheek, "You know that and I know that...we both knew that when we signed up for SOLDIER."

"You really have grown up, Pup..."Angeal chuckled in between his still falling tears, "When did that happen?"

Zack chuckled as he buried his face in the crook of Angeal's neck, "I guess while I was asleep...I dreamt of what my Mom told me when I left home to join SOLDIER."

"And what did she say?"

"...Remember who you are...even if you're apart from home, family, or friends, you'll always be you and you'll always be in our hearts no matter where and what you do..."

Angeal nudged his head in against Zack's buried one as he ran a gloved hand through the boy's locks, "Your Mom is a pretty smart woman...much like you..."

"You would like her, Angeal, you both are soft...kind...and warm..."Zack worked his fingers against the back of Angeal's fabric back, "I love you, Angeal...no matter where we go or how far apart we are..."

"I love you too, Puppy...Zack," Angeal whispered as he kissed the side of Zack's head, "Come on, I need to get you to Lazard's Office for the Mission Briefing."

"Yeah, yeah..."

~XXX~

Tseng had never been the praying type before especially when he had been a young boy, being brought up around the Wutain Gods that the people of Wutai were known for worshipping; he had always thought it was stupid and out dated. Right now, that was something that he didn't think about any form of prayer or religion right now; he was praying to any God or Goddess he could pray to that they would give him the strength and right words to tell Cloud that he was being sent to his hometown to go on a Mission to deal with the Mako Reactor in the town. Ever since he had been a young man; he had never held onto any form of religion or practices, making a mockery of his own people's beliefs as far back as he could remember, only to be caught once by the Village Elders and reprimanding him soundly for the severity of his actions, but now, he wished he hadn't done such things as he watched the beautiful blond angel in his bed sleeping away.

_Give me strength..._

"Tseng..."Cloud muffled against the pillow as he buried his face into it as his gaze turned to the window gazing long haired Wutain man, "Why are you up so early? Come back to bed..."

How he wished he could, "We need to talk..."

"Can't it wait till morning?" Cloud groaned out as he pulled Tseng's scented pillow over his face, but when he found the smell and Wutain silk fabric pulled away from his face and the Wutain's face in his own, "...What's wrong?"

"I just got a call from Director Lazard...it's...Heh..."

"What?"

Cloud became worried at the man's tone of voice; he knew that Tseng was meant to be a man of all seriousness, he was after all, the head lead of the Turks and always put on a face and air that demanded respect, meant to be taken as a form of authority. But the way the man carried himself; that masking air was being mingled with another mask that never belonged on his face. Tseng's fingers found comfort in playing in Cloud's locks as they brushed up behind the boy's skull, pulling him in as Tseng pressed worried trembling lips against his forehead. Cloud may have not have been trained to know the signs of when someone was scared, or near tears, but he could read body language. Something he did well; even from a very young age. His Mother would always scold him at times for reading into her body language, saying that it was like he was reading into her mind and soul, telling him that women don't like it when men do that. To him, Tseng was an open book as he felt the man's arms wrap around his shoulders and bring him in close. Visibly, they weren't shaking, but in his mind he imagined they were.

With a blowing of air through pursed lips, Tseng cupped Cloud's face in his hands, "You're being sent on the Mission to check out the Mako Reactor in Niblehiem..."

"T-That...That's great," Cloud was nervous in answering or speaking in regards to Tseng's words, but a slight ebb of fear was hiding there in the back of his subconscious, "Will you be coming with us?"

"I'll only be on the plane that is taking you to the site and then..."

"And then you're leaving me...? Aren't you?"

Tseng pushed soft, chaste lips into Cloud's as he tried to hide back the fear and tearful remorse that was glossing at his lips as he softly pulled away, "I don't want to leave you there, but you'll be in good hands...General Sephiroth will be there and your friend Zack is going too...You'll be in good hands, not to mention, Reno is going to piloting the plane..."

_That'll be an interesting flight...if he can avoid talking to me about Cloud..._

"So it is true...the rumor that was going around..."Cloud pulled away as he started to look for his pants as Tseng slowly climbed off the bed after the small boy, "Did you know about it before now or were you planning on telling me after we were together like we were last night?"

"Cloud, please...don't do this..."

"WHY SHOULDN'T I!?!" a crash of a bedside lamp could be heard against the floor as Cloud looked to Tseng with tear filled eyes, "YOU ALWAYS DO THIS TO SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT?! HIDE SECRETS FROM THEM UNTIL IT'S CONVENIENT FOR YOU!?"

Tseng was frightened as he ran at Cloud, pushing him against the wall as he glared into his face, "Listen, I didn't know you were the rumored Cadet...I've been trying every channel I have to get you out of it, as well as Zack, but I have no voice as it seems when it comes to the President's plans for people. I never planned to hide this from you. It wasn't convenient for me. You don't know how many times last night I wanted to tell you the truth!" the man pulled away from the tearful blue eyed boy as he reached for his dress shirt and jacket, "...Believe what you want to believe about me, but know this...I am not someone who would use someone and then tell them to their face that I was only trying to save them the pain of going through something they aren't ready for!"

"...You're a stupid man...you know that," Cloud's voice was quiet and timid as he clung to the back of Tseng's half buttoned dress shirt, "And I'm stupid for doubting you..."

"Cloud..."Tseng finished doing up his tie and began to reach for his coat when he felt a hand grab his wrist; flipping him towards the bed as he felt a scramble of feet and hands scrambling onto his form, "C-Cloud?"

Cloud had pressed wetted lips against Tseng's as he cupped the man's face with his own as to try and memorize the way it felt against his calloused country boy fingertips, each curve and dip of the man's face. Mentally memorizing the way he looked in his mind to every bit of Tseng; the way his lips felt against his own, how the tip of the man's tongue knew just how to tease at asking for mere entrance. To how it seemed to dip into each little crack in Cloud's cracked lips, cracks that had formed from the cold Winters of Niblehiem of the Winter months he had gone out and cut wood for the fireplace in his Mother's home and the neighbor's homes to earn money for boyish interests. The taste of Tseng's salty tears that were laced with a hint of the spices of Wutai as they leaked into each break in their kisses. If he was going to be gone from the man; he wanted to memorize and have a little piece of the man still on his lips and under his fingernails to remember; it would be a long time before they were together again. If it had to be so, then it would be so. Tseng found himself no longer fighting for air as he felt Cloud's lips pull away from his own as his head and lips placed themselves in the crook of his neck; reveling and taking in the scents of Tseng even more. He did the same to the country boy in his arms, always his country boy.

"...I guess...we should get going, can't keep Director Lazard waiting, especially the General, or even Zack, Zack was never one to be able to keep still when it comes to Missions," Cloud chuckled to himself as he felt Tseng's fingers brushing up and down his naked back, "He's probably doing squats and muttering about how bored he is and why the Chocobo isn't there to entertain him and Angeal is probably doing all he can to keep him from driving Sephiroth insane."

Tseng chuckled to himself as he kissed Cloud's forehead, patting his hand on the middle of Cloud's back, "We probably should, and I need to get you back to your room to get changed into your Uniform, you can't go out on a Mission looking like a civilian."

"And I'm sure I can't fit into any of your spare suits," Cloud chuckled again as he played with the buttons of Tseng's shirt.

~XXX~

_Miss you already. Have a safe trip.-Rufus_

"Heh, going to be the utter heartbreak of mine, that kid is," Reno chuckled to him self as he pocketed his phone, spotting his partner in crime walk by with Cissnei in the tailing as he nodded to them both, "Where are you two off to this morning?"

Cissnei smirked as she patted Rude's back, "Rude promised me a cup of coffee and a bagel out at a local Café and we've got some things to go over regarding some reports that have been coming out of Gongaga, Junon, and Rocket Town, especially Niblehiem of reported sightings of Genesis."

Rude could only grunt in response, "Heh...the auburn weasel is still causing problems, even if he's not here in the compound..."

"Take it easy, Reno...have a safe flight," Rude managed to mumble out as Cissnei locked her arm around Rude's, "See you when you get back, Partner."

"See you around, Reno," Cissnei remarked as she and Rude began their walk down the hall and into the morning light of the bustling town of Midgar.

~XXX~

Rufus had never made it a habit to visit his Father's office or his quarters, or at best, even speak or see his Father; neither one was on the best of terms with the other seeing as how. All Rufus was good for was being nothing then a holding spot for the next generation of Shinra's once his old man kicked the bucket or some gun ho mercenary or Anti-ShinRa member took him out. But something had left him unnerved about something he had heard recently; word had been going around among the executives that had now and again made their way to his Father's office. Reports were always in their hands, people were running in and out of his Father's office while the man would bellow that he didn't to hear their crap anymore, he wanted results.

"Father…?"Rufus faintly knocked on the door to his Father's office, "Can we talk?"

The President turned around as he noticed the blue eyed, blond haired little boy that was his son, "Make it quick, son, I have big plans for today…"

As Rufus shut the office door, what would transpire next would never leave the safety of the Office or the closed up mind of Rufus Shinra; he would never speak of it to Reno. Gods forbid he mention the words his Father had muttered, with a hungry lust in his eyes about the creature that was being held up at the Mako Reactor in Niblehiem and the talks about the devious things that had been done to their powerful super SOLDIER, Sephiroth. If he had known about such things mere moments before all plans had been finalized; he would've done all he could've to stop what was coming.

"Now, no one is to know of this, alright?" the President questioned his shell shock son as he watched Rufus reaching for the door knob, wrenching it open and running down the pristine corridors, to where, no one knows.

~XXX~

_This morning is filled with many promises for the Goddess does not fail those who are faithful to her…_

That it was; it was true as soft auburn like eyes glanced out over the mountain range that surrounded and enclosed the area of the little country town of Niblehiem; its only feature that was an eyesore to the locals was the metallic building on the outskirts of the town. The Mako Reactor that ShinRa had placed in the town, the elders had forbid its building on their land, but eventually, everyone got use to the sight of it. Typical, out of sight, out of mind, theory that had been ground into their minds, even the young children of the town were told that should they ever try and step foot near it that they would never make it out of that building. When it had been first built, sounds of garbled screams and cries in the night could be heard coming from it; some had attributed it to the sound of the wind running through the tree branches, some accredited it to the Goddess crying over the fact that the people she protected and gave their life to was crying out over the monstrosity. Eventually, everyone seemed to forget the sounds, but lately, they were starting up again; they were even more apparent as Genesis ran his hand over the metal containers that house the failed experiments. They wailed, cried, screamed and clawed out at the glass holes that gave a viewing hole into the containers; each monsters face contorted and twisted as it seemed to try and claw for Genesis' attention.

"You poor beings…the Goddess has abandoned you, hasn't she?" his gloved hand lay against one of the glass holes as he listened to the chorus of sorrowful cries, garbled and twisted as they may have been, "Fear not…for She is sending a Hero to release you from your suffering…He shall come to answer Her call and He shall become what he is…"

"…A God…A God that will truly accept me and I shall become even closer to the Gift of the Goddess…Oh what a blessed day this truly is…"

None too far from where he stood among the monster beings, a monster that had never been spoken of was beginning to stir as a dark smile was creeping slowly across its face. The one that had been created of her own self was going to be coming and he would become the thing he was intended to be; the harbinger for the World's destruction. Any and all things, insignificant as they may be, would be squashed under the mighty foot of the God that he would become. All the while, the little country town lay unawares of what was coming to ahead from the place they most ridiculed and hated, let alone, the iron bird that would be taking flight towards their small town.

~XXX~

"I'm glad you could all make it this morning," Lazard seemed to beam as he saw the less then happy faces standing in front of his desk, "I won't make this long."

Tseng took in the sight of those in attendances; two or three other Cadets aside from Cloud were standing at attention, at best, they were from well being families but they were hoping to escape from all of that status. But why would they want to degrade themselves to having to be among others that they might have otherwise found inferior to them on any other given time? Whatever their reason, they seemed to be standing at attention with locked knees, which was a bad idea. Locking of the knees in such a situation as this would result in loss of blood flow and cause the men to pass out which was never a pretty sight. But Tseng's attention was set fully on Cloud as he watched the shorter of the other boys standing there, listening intently to the Director's orders; a SOLDIER in the making as it may have seemed. Zack was doing all he could to not roll his eyes even though now and again he had Angeal nudging at him to assure no such act was done. If Zack had his say, he would've said it was his way of looking up and away while still having a form of focus on Lazard's directions to allow him self a chance to make sure Angeal was still close. Angeal had sworn up and down to Zack on the way to the Director's office and through a few lip locked kisses in hidden hallways on their way to the Office that he would still be there till the Helicopter took him away. It wasn't the teen's fault that he feared not seeing Angeal's face before take off; it was just a feeling he had that something was going to happen.

Sephiroth seemed less then happy to be at the Meeting, but all his focus was on Lazard's directions while his trained mind worked on thinking about Genesis. Would they run into one another while on this Mission? If so, would he be able to take the chance or have the chance to speak to the man, get the answers he sought after regarding his cryptic wording in Wutai? Whatever happened, he couldn't let anyone else come between all of it.

Lazard turned his attention on Sephiroth once he was sure there was no hint of questions in the faces of the others standing at attention, "If there are no questions, then I guess the best thing would be for you all depart for the helicopter pad as soon as possible."

"I only have one thing I want to say before you guys climb onto my bird," Reno piped up; he was overly protective of the steel framed craft, "Keep your feet off the upholstery, if you need to upchuck from air sickness, do it in the bags provided and not off the side of the bird…Any questions?"

Not a single hand raised, only a chorus of negative head shakes, "Alright then, get your asses out to the helipad and get on the iron bird to Niblehiem!"

Tseng could only chuckle at it all as he watched the Cadets file off at a double time towards the Helipad as Sephiroth took his time to make his way to the Helipad; each step the man took told something to Tseng. Sephiroth had something on his mind or something was wrong. The man was never this quiet or his body language was never one to be so loud to foretell something was wrong.

"Heh…I guess this is good bye for a while, Pup," Angeal sighed as he placed a hand on Zack's shoulder, "Keep out of trouble and at least keep an eye on Cloud, I know Niblehiem is his home turf, but something has me worried about Sephiroth…Just keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary…especially Genesis."

"Come on, Angeal, there's no way that auburn weasel angel is going to be hanging around a place like that; it's the sticks and Genesis hates everything that isn't like the image he's painted about Loveless," Zack forcefully chuckled as he latched his arms around Angeal's waist one last time, "…Before you know it, I'll be jumping off the old Helicopter and tackling you to the floor and kissing you all over in front of everyone and not giving a damn who sees it."

Angeal softly chuckled as he embraced the boy, running the flat of his hand down the boy's head as he kissed the top of it, "Just don't try and pull off any hero antics…"

"Fun zapper…"

"Just trying to keep you in one piece…"

~XXX~

Reno checked all the gauges and dials, double checking with the Tower before he got the thumbs up to make head way for Niblehiem; once every one was checked out to make sure they were strapped in, they were off. Angeal watched from the Helipad among the sounds of the rotary blades spinning about to send the helicopter off; it was all he could do. Watch as his happy go lucky other half left off for a Mission without him.

_Come home safe, Puppy…_

~XXX~

"_And I'm leaving on a jet pla—"_Reno looked up from where he had focused his attention on as he saw Tseng settle back into his seat; it seemed that the man wasn't a music lover.

Tseng shifted his shoulders about as he tried to get comfortable in the Co-Pilot seat as he tried to look at something other then looking back where the Cadets, Zack, and Sephiroth were sitting. Each time he would look back; he couldn't pick out of the alien looking helmeted Cadets was Cloud and the less time he spent trying to look at him one last time, the less suspicious he would appear to the others. He hadn't been this uncomfortable since the flight from Wutai to Midgar when he had first joined ShinRa; it wasn't the most comfortable thing to ride in, but it was the only means back from the jungle covered village. Each bump of turbulence had been Hell on Earth for his shot nerves since he had never once left the village area of Wutai since he had been a little boy, and no matter how many times Reno then had talked to him; it hadn't been enough to settle his nerves. The only thing that had seemed to had helped them any had been the sound of soft music coming from the radio in the Pilot's line of vision, especially where Reno was sitting now.

With a few rolls of Tseng's fingertips, the volume control on the radio was up again, "_…don't know when I'll be back again…oh babe, I hate to go…"_

"The kid will be alright, Boss," Reno mumbled to Tseng as he tried to make sure no one else could hear the conversation, "He's got the best protection that anyone could ask for; its not like you're sending in a pack of wild dogs to watch over him."

Tseng rolled his eyes as he turned his attention back to looking out the passenger window, "Its not that, Reno…there have been unaccounted for reports that state that Genesis has been spotted within the vicinity of where they're headed," his attention turned back to where passengers were seated, "Not to mention unaccounted for disturbances coming from within the Mako Reactor in that Town."

"Maybe it's just the rejects up in there waiting to welcome the kid back home?"

The look on Tseng's face didn't read as if he saw the humor in Reno's words; "Has anyone tried to figure out what it could mean?"

"No one wants to give rise to any worry…they're trying to keep it as quiet as possible…"

"Cover up as always…" Reno snorted as he started to see the rolling mountain sides of Niblehiem coming up fast, "Well, whatever it is, hopefully they don't run into it."

_For the sake of everyone…I hope so…_

~XXX~

A khaki colored cowboy hat could be seen bobbing by as the tassels of a short skirt of the same color seemed move about with the slender figured female that began to make her way towards the center of Town. The sounds of a helicopter had been heard coming overhead and as the daughter of the Village's Mayor she had been asked to go and find out the reason for the sounds. What she found was not what she wanted to find; a black steel helicopter with the ShinRa logo on its side, anything that had such an imprint didn't mean anything good. Next, sights of uniformed SOLDIERS and Cadets started to peel out of the helicopter alongside a black suited figure; what did they want this time?

"Alright gentlemen, if you run into any problems, don't hesitate to radio HQ," Tseng spoke up over the sound of the helicopter's engine running and the sounds of the rotor blades running still to leave at a moment's notice, "Good luck gentlemen…"

Thankfully, Cloud's eyes were hidden behind the helmet of the alien looking thing upon his head; he didn't need Tseng to see the misting of tears formed on his eyelashes. Zack's hand could be felt upon his shoulder in a friendly way, but not enough to draw the other Cadet's attentions or draw their attention as to what was wrong with the shorter member of the group. Tseng turned on his heel as he climbed back into the machine, shutting the door to the Co-Pilot seat behind him as he gave the signal to Reno to take off. Never once would he shed tears, at least, never in public view of others to see him becoming a person he had created himself into an image to never be or show, but as the helicopter pulled away into the sky. He could see the small form of Cloud standing there, awaiting orders of what to do next; he couldn't help what happened next as he let a stray tear roll down his face. Reno sighed to himself as he pulled up into a higher altitude and began the travel back home to the ShinRa building. What was transpire next in the moments later after their departure would forever be hidden away in cryptic messages and cover ups by ShinRa to avoid anyone finding out about the reason behind what had happened.

~XXX~

Reports would come in no real pattern of manner that the reports that had been unaccounted or unaccredited about sightings of Genesis in the woodland town of Niblehiem had been accurate. He had been spotted at the Mako Reactor just shortly before things had gone array and the town of Niblehiem had all but became a site of ash and rubble. Numerous records had come in that nearly half the population of the Mountain town had been all been destroyed by the hand of the once proud General Sephiroth. Those that had been able to be understood without considering it a mass of hysteria, they had accounted that the General had beheld a dark and devious glint in his eyes that had not been there when he had arrived in the Town. Each person that met his blade was knocked down with a vicious swipe while a dark smile had been upon his lips as he had made his way towards the location of where the Reactor was held. One man had claimed he had been able to read his lips, saying that the man had been muttering something about fulfilling his predestined destiny so that he could become one with the Angel that had flittered through his fingers. Once he was one with Mother, he would get his promised gift of the Goddess. The one that had slipped through his fingers.

Screams were said to been heard coming from the Reactor over the sound of the screams of those in agony that their loved one was dying in their arms, explosions were said to be heard from the Reactor as well. No one could truly account for any of these things said; it was all put down that it was part of the mass hysteria as the Town found itself ablaze and the body count was rising.

Such a destructive force had swept through…

What should've been a simple visit turned into a Mission of destruction set forth by the unveiling of an utter truth that had been wrapped up falsified half truths from his start.

~XXX~

~Epilogue~

A soft knock came at the office door, "Come in…"

"Sir, I have the reports here regarding the ones that were involved in the destruction of the Mako Reactor of Niblehiem…" the man saluted the quiet Wutai figure as he waited for further instruction and when he received not another word; he took it as the man's silent order to leave, "I can't believe that were Anti-ShinRa militants among our own on that mission…"

That was what ShinRa had made it out to be. The near destruction of the Mako Reactor on the outskirt of Niblehiem had been pinpointed as being the direct result of a few of the members involved on the Mission to be apart of an Anti-ShinRa coalition. Recently, a number of such factions had started to appear through out the smaller villages and towns that were low on resources and had a mere hatred for the Company for having a forced on Reactor placed in their already suffering villages and homes. Word had been speculated that the two that had been found near dead in the Reactor after the ShinRa Clean up Crews were sent into to fix up the mess and take in account what was left of the Reactor. They had come to a conclusion that two young men had some connection with an Anti-ShinRa faction that had been holding up in a sort underground railroad system in the woodland town. No reports had been filed regarding the whereabouts of the woebegone General Sephiroth. He was considered a Prisoner of War by the same faction that the teenage boys had been apart of, but it was hard to wrap a person's mind around that such a promising young man as Zackary "Zack" Fair, 2nd Class SOLDIER and promising Cadet Cloud Strife for capable of such actions. It had been the talk of all the classes and whispered in hallways days after the failed Mission had made its way back to the Headquarters. When Tseng had attempted to make any attempts to look into the truth behind these supposed speculations; he was turned away, especially by the leading Scientist of ShinRa, Hojo. The man had sneered Tseng's utter distrust in the man's word that whatever had transpired was as it was.

Tseng placed the reports down on his desk as he shooed the man away, "If you receive any new updates or reports regarding the Niblehiem incident…send them to me."

"Yes sir," with that, the young man turned on his heel and left, shutting the door behind him.

_Was it true, Cloud? Were you part of an Anti-ShinRa faction…and used me to get to what they must've been after?_

"_Lighten up, Tseng…"_ much like a needed swift kick in the seat of his pants, the little Ninja like conscious in Tseng's mind spoke up, _"That kid loved you unconditionally, believe me…I talked to his Mom up in the Lifestream and she said the kid was on the up and up…Whoever in ShinRa is smearing on the lies like butter is trying to hide something…I think Hojo has reason to hide something from you…"_

"…Cloud…"

Beady eyes looked out on the specimens on the table as the Lab assistants began their examination of the two young men that had been found at the Reactor after things had calmed down. One was a familiar face that the beady eyed man would have loved to have gotten his hands on sooner if it hadn't been for his overly protective Mentor while the other was an unfamiliar one.

"I want them stripped of their dirty clothing and placed into the tubes as soon as possible…" the beady eyed man seemed to be thinking up what he had planned for the subjects, "…I want them ready by the end of the week for the first experiments. Its interesting that the blond one, that possess less Mako then the raven haired one, managed to somehow, lift up the 2nd Class SOLDIERS blade and run it through Sephiroth…"

"And yet…be able to withstand the General's own blade running through his abdomen, lift the man up and toss him across the room by using his own blade against him…Such a marvelous specimen he'll make…"

Nervous assistants who had been listening to the man give out the orders began to scurry down towards the room where the young men lie on the cold exam table while he watched on with intent and lust, "…He will be an interesting test subject…not much can be done about his partner at least…but the blond shall suffice my…interests…"

It may have not seemed like either one could feel the assistant's hands on them, but what they weren't going to feel was the sensations that would come with the coming experiments. Even in an unconscious state, a single tear was seen shedding down their respectable faces.

How had it come to all of this?

Why weren't the ones they loved coming to their aid?

The answer: They had been told that the ones that now lie here on the table had been killed by the ShinRa troops when they had found them preparing to blow up the Reactor as an act told by them to do for an Anti-ShinRa Coalition. Oh what a terrible fate awaited them as they found themselves thrust into cold, hard tubes as the green liquid water started to swirl about them.

Once a person found themselves in Hojo's lab…there was no escape.

The End…?


End file.
